Where Lost Souls Meet Again
by starhealer
Summary: Alone but for Shippou, Inuyasha begins searching for Kagome. Can the spirit of a young child and the help of old friends piece back the fragments of Inuyasha's life?
1. Exposition

First and foremost, I'm not much of a fanfic writer. I find I have trouble with other people's characters, since they are, well, someone else's. Which is the main reason this fic is set in an alternate universe (read: dark fic) and the characters are somewhat out of character (I really tried to keep them fairly close…damn that sounds redundant…). Anywho, I'm not even very pleased with how this turned out and I'm always revising, which is where you people that read it come in. Any and all info is helpful—I want to make this a convincing world that you want to read about. I don't want this to be some corny, badly written, ill-conceived universe. So I need your imput. What do YOU want to read? What is it that you really like/don't like? Like I said before, I'm not good at this but I really wanna make an effort, so…any and all help is welcome.  
  
So…enjoy.  
  
  
  
  
  
Where Lost Souls Meet Again  
  
Chapter One: Exposition  
  
  
  
With a stretch and a yawn, Shippou crawled out of his bed of leaves. The cold morning air nipped at his sensitive ears and small paws as he made his way quickly to the nearest spring to wash up and get ready for the day. Nearby, Inuyasha let out a vast, rumbling snore, then turned and fell back asleep. The kitsune shook his head and continued on. He'd long ago grown used to his companion's actions.  
  
The slowly meandering water hazily reflected Shippou's sleepy face back to him as he leaned over the bank to dip his paws in. The face that watched him from the rocks wavered, then disappeared into the ripples, only to emerge again as the water settled. Slowly, he removed his hands, shaking them vigorously to dry. Sprinkles fell from the kitsune's fingertips, raindrops and crystals in the morning light.  
  
Inuyasha snored again, then cried out sharply. Shippou whipped about to face his companion, ears pricked for danger, feet ready to dash. He watched as the hanyou sat bolt upright, his fire-rat over robe drifting through the air toward the ground, settling. Inuyasha was breathing heavily, one hand covering his face, his shoulders shaking hard. Shippou watched for a few more moments, then politely turned his back and returned to his own reflection.  
  
It wasn't polite to watch another cry.  
  
More and more often, Inuyasha woke up in a wreck, his face haunted, eyes dead. Once or twice he'd begun crying, as he was now. The half-demon would be completely oblivious to the world around him, then take out his frustration on anyone that happened to be nearby when he finally came to his senses. He never explained himself, nor did anyone care to ask. No one dared. Shippou knew better than to ask, but he was fairly certain that he knew what had brought these breakdowns about.  
  
The fox in the water faded away again as the demon placed his paws in yet again. He stared at them, as they sat on the silvery rocks beneath the surface, the fur matted from the water. They were small hands, delicate, but also very strong. He'd grown strong in the years he'd journeyed with Inuyasha and the others. In the past couple of months, he'd grown especially. Not that he was big or filled out, like the dog-demon or Miroku, but there was height, some build…he was older. Wiser, too, he guessed. He closed his paw, trying to capture the water that flowed past; he knew he couldn't, he was wise enough to know that, but he couldn't help but want to try. So much he wished he could catch…  
  
Water sprayed up, sparkling in the light. Shippou brought his hands back from the water, one from beneath the surface, the other from where he'd just slapped it. For a brief moment, the stream seemed to stop, to swirl in place, then as the drops sprinkled back down, it rushed onward, uncaring. Shippou glared after it. Stupid stream, he thought sardonically. You were supposed to stop…  
  
"Feh, just what the hell are you doing, kitsune?"  
  
Shippou looked up, startled. "I-Inuyasha. I didn't hear you approach."  
  
The hanyou snorted. "That's because you had your head in the water. Come on, we have to get going." He pulled on the rest of his robe and turned on bare feet, back towards where he came. Shippou watched him go, then climbed to his feet and hurried after. It was no use staying here anymore, anyhow, so he might as well follow along. Much as he hated taking orders.  
  
As he gathered up his things, the kitsune watched his companion from the corner of his eyes, trying to assess how Inuyasha was feeling. Dog Boy looked all right, with the exception of his slightly puffy eyes. His posture was straight, his eyes focused. He had all his usual composure. I hope he isn't going to beat me up again. He needs to get a hold of himself. Damnit, I did! Why can't he?  
  
Shippou picked up the last of his things, then walked over to join the slightly taller half-breed standing a short ways away. They stood together in silence a moment, then began walking, as though some sort of silent agreement had passed between them. They hardly ever talked, unless it was for Inuyasha to yell something at Shippou, or in the rare occurrence they got into a fight. So many of the demons had been wiped out…  
  
"Hey, Shippou…"  
  
The kitsune stopped short, surprised by the use of his name. His ears twitched slightly; he was a little unnerved. "Yes, Inuyasha?"  
  
"Where…" The dog-demon paused, his eyes distant. Then he turned away and finished roughly: "Where do you think that bastard brother of mine disappeared to? I really wanna finish this with him."  
  
"Oh…well…I really don't know, Inuyasha. He's been gone since…well, since that time."  
  
Dog Boy sighed and nodded. "Yeah…I know…"  
  
Silence.  
  
Walking.  
  
Damn him. That's not what he really wants to know. If Kagome were here, she'd… Shippou mentally slapped himself for that, then continued on. Thoughts like that got him nowhere but in a deep hole and he really couldn't afford to be depressed. Inuyasha and his fits were more than enough; Shippou didn't need his own. But it'd be better if he just talked about it instead of acting like a jerk. Maybe he'd feel better about it all…  
  
The sun was high in the sky before they stopped again. They settled beneath a broad reaching cherry tree, the sun dappling their faces and the nearby area through the branches. Shippou dug through his pockets until he produced a small fruit, then began wolfing it down. Inuyasha just sat, his eyes closed, head against the rough trunk. Beside him was a small satchel. Hmm…I wonder…  
  
Careful to keep an eye on the older demon, Shippou reached cautiously for the bag, his paws just barely grazing the hanyou's knee as he stretched. Frightened, Shippou stopped. When Inuyasha made no sign that he noticed the brush, the kitsune continued his trek toward the pack. Just a little further…  
  
Shippou screamed as a powerful hand slammed down on his wrist and wrenched. From behind a snarl, Inuyasha spoke. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing, kitsune? Get the hell away from my bag!" Eyes black and cold, the half-demon flipped Shippou over onto his back, then hauled him back up and tossed him through the air. The kitsune landed about five or six feet away, crashing into the ground with an insane momentum, the bones in his body jarring painfully. Fuming, Inuyasha stalked over to the prone demon, ready to beat the other senseless for his transgression. "What were you doing with my bag?!"  
  
"It's not your bag, Inuyasha! It's Kagome's bag!"  
  
"No it's not! It's mine! I found it, damnit!"  
  
"You picked it up off the ground after Kagome disappeared! You took it! It's hers!"  
  
By now, Shippou was on his feet, staring straight into Inuyasha's pain-filled eyes. The half-demon shook with rage; and behind it, grief. As they faced off, Shippou could feel his friend's anger seep away as the sadness overtook him. It was apparent in his stance, in his face…in his eyes; they'd faded back to polished amber. Suddenly, Shippou realized what he'd said and let his anger dissipate as well. "Inuyasha…I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"  
  
His anger gone, Inuyasha hobbled back to the tree, where he collapsed against the trunk, head resting against the bark. In one hand he gripped the straps of the satchel, his claws tearing into the fabric. When he realized what he was doing, his fingers sprang away and he held his hands close. Quietly, Shippou took a seat beside him, tucking his small feet beneath him. Together, they sat in silence.  
  
Finally: "I have to find her, Shippou. And I have to find her soon."  
  
The kitsune just nodded. "You haven't been your usual self lately…since she went away…I know it must sound weird but…I miss the old Inuyasha." Shippou turned to look at Inuyasha and mustered up a smile. "So we have to find her, or else I might just have to change into her, just to get the old you back."  
  
Pulling his head out of the ground, Shippou smiled to himself. Inuyasha…he would get him back. And as much as he hated getting hit…he had to admit that it was good to know that Inuyasha could still be himself.  
  
  
  
It was very cold. Somewhere nearby, water dripped; it echoed throughout the darkness, then died away. The few, oh so few times the water dripped were a welcome interruption from the continual silence that permeated the void. No wind blew here, but the feel of a chill breeze froze the blood and made one shiver. She shivered, all the time. There was nothing to see, nothing to hear, nothing to smell, touch, taste, experience. All there was was the cold. So much cold. Cold and dark and haunting nothingness.  
  
She wasn't sure if she felt pain here. Inside she could sense a…a deep, pining sadness, a pang. She could sense turmoil and dullness. But was it pain? Pain, she knew, was a human experience, a truly human feeling. If she could feel pain, maybe she was still human. If she was human, then these emotions and conditions she sensed would therefore be real. She'd be real.  
  
Nothing made sense here.  
  
A flash of phantom breeze brushed past her, leaving her cold and bereft in its wake. Then nothingness rushed in and enveloped her again.  
  
And she was left feeling only vestiges of humanity and an insanity of longing to be real.  
  
  
  
The phantom child followed the two demons as they walked through the rubble of a long-forgotten town, bathed in the glow of the twilight. The smaller kitsune, bushy tail following behind, was skipping ahead, laughing and jesting with his companion, who sauntered along, kicking random stones with his bare feet. A sword swung at his hip, the scabbard clapping noisily against his legs. White hair drifted down his back and in the wind, the strands fine and silky. Beneath the locks was a long, graceful neck. Dog- ears pricked up from his crown.  
  
Why are they here? I don't know them. The child scurried through the rubble behind them, watching where they went. Her large eyes took in their every move, along with the shadows of the decrepit buildings, the ghosts that stood, proud and faded, among the rubble. Two worlds…It was a curse to see them both. Why did people have to come here? It's easier to see the past when there are no people to remind me that it's gone.  
  
So she followed them, curious. The two wandered directionless through the ruined streets, through the long-gone walls of huts, across the well-packed roads that twined throughout the village. They finally stopped among the remains of a small house, where the boy the child used to play with had lived. He'd died there, too, she believed. She couldn't see any other phantoms, of which she was glad, but she also couldn't see where they had died, either. She wished she good remember where they'd fallen…she wished she could honour their graves…  
  
Instead, she watched the strangers settle down in a house whose walls she could see and where she retained memories. At least she could remember them. The village was empty, but at least it wasn't dead. But these strangers made the emptiness painful; it's why she chased them all away.  
  
And even demons weren't safe from her hauntings.  
  
Night fell over the lost town and soon sleep as well. The kitsune was first to go. Childish creatures, kitsune. The phantom child smiled. She would only scare the demon away, she wouldn't hurt it. Something so young and innocent didn't deserve to be harmed, even if it was a demon. Other youkai she would haunt to kill, but not ones such as these. She was a child, too…The other demon, however…he may prove differently. In her heart, she hoped she wouldn't have to hurt him, either; the kitsune might be sad.  
  
As it was, the white-haired demon didn't drift off for another hour or so. When she was sure they were under sleep's spell, the child hurried into the house, her body passing through the ghostly wall. For a moment, she felt a brief surge of grief, as the house told her its memories; fire, screams, pain and death. Then the feeling was gone and she was standing beside the demons who had wandered into her home.  
  
She first went to the kitsune. Kneeling beside his lithe frame, she placed her insubstantial hands against his chest and pressed inward. The boy shuddered momentarily, then stilled as she passed through his body and into his heart. His presence surrounded her, filled her and she felt her body merge with his. It was always like this when she possessed another creature—a living creature. Waves of warmth and life shifted through her, enveloping her until she felt as though she were wrapped inside a blanket. Regardless of the creature, cruel or kind, the sensation was the same. Sometimes she wondered if she didn't do this just to be able to feel alive again…to feel warmth. It had been a long time since she'd been alive…  
  
Eventually, the warmth passed away, giving way to the demon's actual heart. A thin, ephemeral wall was the last barrier for her. The child sighed. Only the entrance into the person was inviting—afterward, she almost always found darkness and cold. So it was with some trepidation that she passed the final wall that led into the very center of the kitsune's heart. She stood in a cozy, well-dug fox burrow. Around her pulsed several bright orbs, hanging from the den's smooth walls. She recognized them as the kitsune's emotions. Directly behind her was an incredibly beautiful globe of light pulsating softly—his soul. With a mental tug, she pulled the last of her psyche in.  
  
Once inside, she searched out his feelings: what he loved, what he feared. She briefly glossed over his soul, but knew better than to actually touch it with her hands. Not only would she hurt the kitsune terribly, she could possibly kill him. And his soul was his own—no one deserved to touch it but those he allowed. So she kept simply to his emotions.  
  
It took her a moment, but she finally found what she wanted. Fears. Fears could motivate anyone, be he human, beast or demon. With a gentle caress, she strung his fears out on silver thread to gaze at. He had surprisingly few, for being a demon. In any others she encountered, their fears drove their lives. Everything was a danger for a demon, especially other demons. And that seemed to be what they feared most. But this boy, he was different. He feared his peers, but…those fears were nothing compared to one single thread of agony that lay strung out before her.  
  
And all of it over a black-haired girl.  
  
The phantom child studied the girl for a long time, taking her in, trying to understand her simply from the images that she captured from the kitsune's heart. She was bright, strong-willed and courageous, as well as caring and kind. Quicksilver as the wind, as loving as the earth. She was beautiful, as well. Her whole presence was imbued with a soft, golden glow. The child stared in fascination for a moment. The one he cares about most he fears the most…I wonder why…  
  
Careful not to damage the image, the phantom girl gently pressed her fingers into the thread, bending it. As she pressed down, the thread bent further and further, then suddenly dissolved into her fingertips, unable to withstand the pressure. The images passed out of her mind, replaced with pure emotion; feelings, words and impressions from the kitsune. Perhaps now I can find out why he fears her…  
  
A small fox demon lopped across a barren field, calling someone's name. Tears were in his eyes as he searched frantically for someone who obviously wasn't there. His feverishly high voice rang out among the nearby trees and into the cloudless blue sky.  
  
"Kagome! Kagome, where are you?"  
  
The phantom child pulled back sharply. He doesn't fear her. He fears for her…  
  
"Just what do you think you're doing, ghost? You don't belong here."  
  
Pulled back to her essence by the gruff, intruding voice, the girl took a moment to get her bearings straight. When her head was clear, she smiled darkly, then waved her arm. The white-haired demon crashed through the rubble, the force of the blow catching him completely off guard. The girl stood, her body pulsating and turned to face him as he struggled to right himself. Curses filtered through the midnight sky. Beside her, the kitsune whimpered and struggled in his sleep. She blocked him from her mind.  
  
After a moment or so, the youkai pulled himself from the wreckage. Smiling lopsidedly, he flexed long claws and growled deep in his throat. His ears twitched. From across the lot, the child watched him with dead eyes. They stood silent for a moment longer, then the demon lunged forward, claws extended and growl exploding from his throat. His momentum propelled him straight into her essence, the spin of his hand driving his deadly claws deep into the ground. Shards of earth showered the area, combatants and fox-demon all.  
  
When the dust settled, Inuyasha lay suspended in air, languid strings of black cord rotating slowly around him. A few feet away, the child stood, her arms outstretched in an arc, as though she were about to wrap them around someone. Cord twined around her, curling across her limbs, slithering through her hair. One thin silver thread clutched her throat so tightly the flesh indented. She made no indication that she noticed its strangling presence. Instead, her gaze was fixed entirely on the demon floating a few feet away.  
  
The dog-demon struggled to get free of the cord, only entangling himself further. "Damnit all…Damnit all!"  
  
"Such language, and in front of a child, too." The girl walked closer to him, bringing her hands together as she neared; the ropes that circled his body began to tighten. The youkai glared, but didn't speak. The ghost stared up at him. The cord around her throat looked tighter. "What is your name, demon? And what are you doing in my home?"  
  
He growled at her. "You're dead. This isn't your home anymore."  
  
The cords tightened drastically; the child's eyes clouded over. Her face contorted painfully as she screamed: "It is too my home! I asked you a question, demon! Answer it or I kill you!" The thread around her neck slithered slightly and a bright trail of blood began to slip down onto the girl's collarbone.  
  
At first, it looked like he wasn't going to answer. Then his shoulders drooped and he barked: "My name is Inuyasha. Now who the hell are you?" When the ropes tightened again, he growled: "I told you who I was, it's only decent to tell me who the hell you are! And just what the hell are you doing here, anyhow?"  
  
She was silent a moment. For a second, Inuyasha thought she was thinking of how to finish him off properly with her weird ropes, then had a sudden change in opinion as he fell from the sky into the rubble. Rubbing his sore behind, he noticed that the cords were gone too. The only evidence he had that they'd ever been there was the dark, thin cut that circled the small phantom's delicate throat. Even her eyes were deep pools of gray, instead of the suffocating black from before.  
  
Nearby, the fox-demon suddenly sat up, a scream tearing from his lips. Tears stood in his eyes as he looked over to where Inuyasha and the child sat. With a voice raw from emotion, he said softly: "I miss Kagome."  
  
Kagome…The little girl recognized the name from her probe. It sent shivers down her spine, thinking about it. So much pain and fear in that name…She regretted ever having tried to chase the kitsune away. I didn't want any more pain with me than I already have…  
  
Inuyasha growled something under his breath, catching the child's attention. She turned to face him just in time to catch a glimpse of his eyes. She would never mention what she saw to anyone, even in heaven.  
  
"Well…" she began. All eyes turned to her. She cleared her throat uncomfortably. "My name is Shoukaki. Akahiyoko Shoukaki. I…I died here…a long time ago…"  
  
"You have a long name for a human. Are you a lord?"  
  
Shoukaki started, not prepared for the kitsune's perception. Her gaze turned to take him in where he sat, a few feet away. She didn't think demons ever thought about humans and their society. She nodded. "My father…he was a minor lord in the area. We lived outside this village. I…I played here a lot, while I was alive…" She could feel her heart beginning to break again, so she trudged onward. Best to finish this as soon as possible. "Then a band of thieves came through here. They were very strong and resentful toward my father, because he was a lord. He'd never done anything to them, but they still hated him. So, they destroyed the village. Everyone died…"  
  
A hand passing through her shoulder pulled her back. The girl looked up to see the small kitsune smiling at her. Inuyasha hmphed. "So why are you here?" His fox-like companion glared at him, but the white-haired demon trudged on. "You're dead, you said so yourself. So why didn't you go on?"  
  
Shoukaki looked at the ground, shuffling her small feet in the sifting ashes. Small stones and pebbles littered the surface, their patterns disturbed by the movement. "I…I don't know."  
  
"Feh. I don't have time for this. You're a lost spirit who doesn't know how to get home and you're getting in my way. Come on, Shippou. I don't have time to sit here anymore." He stood up abruptly, dusting off his kimono and heading for the cluttered street that passed outside the ruined house. The kitsune—Shippou—stared after him, his face taut, then got up to follow. He smiled at her once more, then began walking away.  
  
The phantom child watched them go. She'd tried to chase them away, but now that they were leaving, she found she didn't want them gone. She hadn't talked to anyone in years, decades. Now that she had, she longed to keep it. Frantically, she thought of a way to keep them. She could trap them in her cords, but that was dangerous for all of them. The silver thread grew tighter each time…she didn't need to die twice. What else would keep them?  
  
They're leaving to find someone…I don't want them to go. I don't want to be alone anymore…not anymore. Mommy…Mommy, I don't want to be alone. How can I keep them here? Maybe…maybe I can go with them. They're searching for someone, maybe I can help. The two were fading fast into the midnight darkness. They were leaving forever. Kagome…are they searching for her? "Kagome! Kagome, where are you?" That's it. I'll help them find Kagome. I'll help them…  
  
"Wait! I can help you find her! Inuyasha, I'll help you find Kagome!"  
  
In the distance, the white spectre of Inuyasha stopped abruptly. Shoukaki ran toward him, glad he'd stopped. He is searching for her! I can help! I can help them. I can be with them…I won't be alone… "Inuyasha, please, I'll help you find he—"  
  
"Who are you…" Shoukaki stopped in her tracks, suddenly frightened. Inuyasha stood with shoulders taut, ears laid flat. His hands were clenched at his sides, the claws tearing through the skin; blood dripped casually from whitened knuckles. With eyes full of anger, Inuyasha turned and cried: "Who are you to speak her name?"  
  
Without waiting for an answer, he lunged, claws spread. His effort was in vain—he passed cleanly through her ephemeral body, but he didn't stop. Landing lightly on his feet, the demon spun about gracefully and swiped through Shoukaki's middle, the air rushing past as a hiss. Inuyasha tumbled to the ground, only to jump back up, clawing at the insubstantial form of the little girl, all the while crying: "Who are you to speak her name? Who are you to speak her name?"  
  
Finally spent, the dog-demon collapsed to the ground. Dirt felt the impact of his fists as he pounded the ground, tore at the very earth in his frustration. Behind him, Shippou watched on silently. His mouth was pressed into a hard line as he stared at his distraught companion. Shoukaki almost thought she saw pity in his features; pity and a cruel, callous coldness. The little kitsune looks like he's mad…at Inuyasha…I wonder why? She shook her head vehemently. It's not important now. Inuyasha…why are you so sad…?  
  
Gently, Shoukaki knelt before the frustrated demon, pressing her small hands to his chest. Inuyasha shuddered, then went limp. Shippou gasped and made as though to grab his friend, but the child shooed him away. When she was sure the kitsune would leave her be, she slowly, oh so slowly dipped her hands into the dog-demon's chest and, once again, entered a living being's body.  
  
Warmth flooded over her as she pushed deeper into him. Her body was caressed by the waves of emotion that swirled about her, that kept her afloat in this void of nothingness that she passed through. Then it melted away, leaving her standing before the shimmering outer wall of the heart, enveloped in nothingness and cold. Taking a deep breath, Shoukaki pushed through the last wall.  
  
Incredible grief stretched from as far as she could see. Pillars, frail and crumbling, lined a dead river, the banks barren and dry. There was no colour, no feeling whatsoever. Shoukaki walked around, her heart in her throat. Never before had she seen a heart such as this. It was as though everything that was ever dear to this poor demon was gone, washed away. Everything was exposed. No one layer of his heart was intact—he was open and bare to the world. Where is his soul…? There's…there's nothing here…  
  
Bones littered the ground where she stepped, snapping beneath her feet. The girl did her best to keep from breaking them, as they could be memories and emotions, but it was hard. They were littered everywhere. This was nothing like the little kitsune's heart. This was nothing like anyone's heart she'd ever seen. What had happened to Inuyasha? And what was that noise?  
  
Somewhere, a child was crying. That's what it was, she realized. A child sniffling and crying. A child…whatever is a child doing in this hell? Curious, she began searching the landscape, among the dead trees, between the lifeless banks of the river, among the scattered bones. Finally, after searching fruitlessly, she came upon a rock outcropping, behind which sat a small, demon-child. In his hands was a foreign looking satchel. He was crying into the bag.  
  
Shoukaki knelt beside him and waited for him to stop crying. When his sniffles finally died down, she smiled kindly at him and introduced herself. "Hello there, little one. My name is Shoukaki. Akahiyoko Shoukaki. May I ask your name?"  
  
The boy looked up at her and sniffed. There was something terribly familiar about him… Can he be…?  
  
"I'm Inuyasha. But, it's just Inuyasha. I don't have a lot of names, like you. Why are you here?"  
  
Taken slightly aback, Shoukaki licked her lips and tried to think of a suitable answer. Finally, she answered: "I got lost. I was looking for someone—a girl named Kagome. Do you know her?"  
  
Little Inuyasha nodded. He hugged the bag tightly to him as he replied: "She went away. She…she went away. I don't know where she is." He picked at the fabric of the satchel pitifully as his eyes glued themselves to the ground. A small, bare foot kicked out from beneath him, sending a pebble flying. His eyes picked themselves up long enough to watch it land among the weeds, then fell again. He clutched the bag tighter. "She left me this bag, though. See? That means she's coming back. She never went anywhere without her bag. So she'll come back and get it, right? Then I get to see her again." He forced a small smile, then went back to hugging his bag and staring at the ground.  
  
How painful. I wonder why she left? Curious, but in no way wanting to hurt the poor child, Shoukaki thought of a way to ask where the girl had gone. Maybe, if she knew where Kagome was, she really could help them find her. She didn't want to be alone anymore and this was the best way she could think of to keep Inuyasha's and Shippou's company for any amount of time. "Do you know where she went?" she finally asked.  
  
The demon shook his head. "Nope. She…she was holding the Shikon Jewel in her hands and saying something about wanting to save me. I remember a lot of demons being there. My brother, Sesshoumaru, was there, too. She was in the middle of them, the Shikon Jewel in her hands. Then she lifted it up and said something I couldn't hear. I remember screaming at her, running toward her…then she was gone. Most of the demons were gone, too…there haven't been many demons since. I wonder if she made a wish to get rid of them…" He trailed off again. Then he reached into his kimono and pulled out a small, white jewel. Shoukaki gasped at its beauty. "She dropped this, along with the bag. It's the Shikon Jewel. I always thought it would disappear after it was used. I wonder why it didn't…?"  
  
Silence settled over the two again as Little Inuyasha stopped his story and Shoukaki thought about what he'd said. She'd used the power of this jewel to rid the world of demons? Then why were some demons still alive? Why didn't the jewel disappear? And…why did Kagome disappear? It didn't make much sense. Inuyasha's story just didn't make any sense…  
  
She started as she heard him begin sniffling again. "Inuyasha…?"  
  
The boy was staring at the ground, tears falling down his face. In front of him, where his eyes were focused, lay a small cluster of stones, arced out almost like a necklace. Reverently, the demon reached out and picked up a stone. With a shudder, he broke out into full-blown sobs, clutching the rock to him. Through his tears, he whispered: "I had a necklace made of beads. It looked a lot like this. Kagome…Kagome took it away with her. She disappeared and she set me free…wasn't that nice…nice of her…?" He buried his face in the bag and cried: "I just want Kagome back…I don't want my stupid freedom, I don't care about the demons. I…I just want my Kagome back…!"  
  
Shoukaki watched silently, then quietly pulled herself out from his heart, leaving the little boy to pine his lost love alone, in the dark. 


	2. In Memories

Well, here's chapter two. I'm going to do my best to keep to a weekly schedule, hopefully I'll be able to write well enough and fast enough to keep that goal intact. So, anyhow…  
  
I hope you're all enjoying this story. I know I'm not terribly far in it, but it is to entertain and that's my ultimate aim. So thanks to all of you who wrote and reviewed, your kind words really encouraged me. As I stated in the first chapter, I'm not proud of my writing, but I don't mind it so much now, since you seem to like it. Thank you all.  
  
And now, on to chapter two!  
  
  
  
Where Lost Souls Meet Again  
  
Chapter Two: In Memories  
  
  
  
  
  
"Feh! What the hell are we still doing here? We should have left a long time ago!"  
  
Shippou rubbed his head, a small bump forming where Inuyasha had smacked him. The hanyou stood over his companion, hands on hips, eyes lidded. The morning sun cast his shadow far across the rocky landscape. Behind him, Shoukaki sat on a boulder, giggling girlishly. I wonder how she can sit on it if she's dead, the fox-demon thought listlessly. Maybe I should ask.  
  
Shippou didn't get the chance to ask, however, as Inuyasha hauled him bodily from the ground, slung him over his shoulder and sullenly began trodding out of the lost village. Shoukaki watched them for a time, then hopped off the rock and followed behind, skipping. The kitsune craned his head to watch. She sure is happy this morning.  
  
They tramped along in that fashion for a while; around noon, Inuyasha stopped and dumped Shippou unceremoniously to the hard ground. The fox- demon rubbed his rear and glared at Dog Boy, then shook his head. At least he's not depressed anymore. I wonder if Shoukaki helped with that…  
  
As if being called, the little she-ghost plopped down beside him, smiling warmly. Shippou stared. She looked…kinda real from this angle. Maybe she had been lying about being a ghost…but she sure had been not real during the night…Testing for himself, Shippou reached out a casual hand and shoved the little girl in the chest. Shoukaki cried out and tumbled backward, raising a fairly decent dust cloud. The kitsune rushed to help her up, apologising profusely.  
  
Shoukaki laughed and shook her head. "It's all right, little kitsune, I'm not hurt. But…whyever did you want to push me?"  
  
Blushing, the kitsune turned his head away and scratched his cheek, embarrassed. "Well, I kinda wanted to see…you know, if…if you were…solid…"  
  
The child blinked, then broke out into a fit of laughter. Shippou flamed and hunched his shoulders, trying his best to hide from the world. It wasn't fair! She was a phantom during the night! Why could he touch her now? When she continued to laugh, the young fox-demon started to crawl away, abashed.  
  
She pulled him back with tiny, gentle hands. Flushed of face, but smiling warmly, she held his slightly larger hands in hers, the fur on his paws warm against her palms. She gave his fingers a squeeze. "I'm sorry I laughed, little kitsune. You asked an honest question." With that, she released his hands and leaned back on hers, staring up at the noonday sky. A sigh escaped her small, childish lips. "I don't blame you, either. It baffles me, too. But…" She turned her face to his, a smile spreading from cheek to cheek. "I have substance during the day, little kitsune. At night, when the world is dark and the heavens bright, I'm as insubstantial as the wind. I can see things then. You know, I can see other worlds—the past, too. Dead worlds, ruined worlds. Worlds long gone and out of memory. But I can't interact with them; I can't interact with the world I should belong to. But during the day—ah, I can feel just as much here as I could so many years ago. I think…I think it's the gods playing a cruel joke on me. I can interact here, in this place where I don't belong, but I can't go home." Sobered, she continued quietly: "Cruel, isn't it, little kitsune…?"  
  
"Shoukaki, I—"  
  
"You two waste more of my time than Kagome and her stupid tests ever did. Now get up and let's move, before I die of old age."  
  
Shippou glared at him. "You can't die of old age, stupid. You're immortal."  
  
Inuyasha hmphed. "With the way you two go about, I don't really wanna challenge that. Now hurry up. I can feel my bones growing weak." And with that he grabbed the fox-demon by the scruff of his neck and dragged him through the dirt behind him.  
  
Shoukaki blinked owlishly, surprised by the huge contrast in how this Inuyasha acted as opposed to his soul, then hurried after them, her small feet making quiet thudding noises on the hard-packed ground.  
  
  
  
She was so lonely. So incredibly, terribly lonely. No one was there; no one knew where she was. Her only companion was the inconsistent drip of water far, far away. Once, she'd thought she'd heard footsteps echoing through the darkness, but she had no voice with which to call and no beacon to light the way. So she was left alone again to suffer the intolerable solitude of her place.  
  
A false breeze blew through her being, cold and damp. Damp…? Never before had there been anything to that soulless breeze. Could this mean that she was nearer the world than she'd thought? With a frenzy born of desperation, she searched out the wind, praying to any god or creature that could hear her that she be allowed to find it. Frantically she clawed about, reaching out limbs she'd forgotten she possessed in the nothing of her surroundings. The feel of wind brushed her again, cool and moist. She could smell salt. As she struggled along, the drop of water that occasionally assaulted her senses became a crashing torrent. The torrent then resolved into voices and the wind became a speck of light. She felt a tightness in her being, then let out a cry of such relief that it jolted her into the light and back to a world she thought she'd never see again.  
  
Moonlight flooded in through large windows carved into the surface of stone. Outside, the surf crashed fitfully against a rock-laden shore. Cranes swooped low over a manicured garden; a cat slept soundly on an elaborately carved chair nearby. A chair…looking about, she noticed a small table, a coarsely woven rug and, beneath her, a futon. Skins covered her body, keeping the naked flesh warm. A fire crackled in a pit toward the center of the room.  
  
Where…?  
  
There was a rustle at the door. With a start, she looked over to see a slender, armoured man standing just slightly inside the room, his white mane flickering red from the flames. He stared at her with cold, uncaring eyes and said simply: "So you've finally woken up, woman of my brother."  
  
  
  
"Kagome!"  
  
Inuyasha sprang awake, sweat beading his brow. An owl hooted above him, just a couple branches away. The hanyou scowled, then resettled himself on his branch.  
  
I should be over this by now. What the hell am I doing, dreaming about that stupid human, getting so worked up over her? I mean…it's not like I care about her…she's just a human. That's all…"Feh, what the hell am I thinking? She's far more than just a human. Damn her! Damn her for leaving me alone like this!"  
  
"You seem to enjoy yelling at people, don't you, Inuyasha?"  
  
Said demon glared down from his perch at the phantom child that floated about halfway up the trunk. She giggled at him and rose to see him face to face. Her grin was mischievous. "What do you want, ghost?"  
  
She giggled again; with a bit of a flip, she was sitting—floating—beside him, her head cocked so that she looked up at him from an angle. "What else, silly? I want to talk to you."  
  
Inuyasha grunted. "Don't you ever sleep, ghost?"  
  
"No, actually. And I do have a name, demon. It's Shoukaki. I've had it a long time and I'd like if you respected it."  
  
He hmphed. Yes, well, I'm not a demon and I haven't been for a long time. So I'd like it if you respected me a little bit more." When she looked startled, he snapped: "What?"  
  
Shoukaki just shrugged. "I thought you were a youkai, that's all. I'm surprised you're offended that I thought so. Do you like your human half that much?"  
  
My human half…Kagome always tried to get me to like it… Sighing, the dog-demon fell back into the curve of the trunk, hands resting on his torso. He didn't love his human half, yet he didn't hate it, either. "No, I don't love my human half that much. I hate the demon that shares lineage with that bastard, Sesshoumaru. Him and those other demons that destroyed everything." I wanted to be a demon…do I still? Can I still? Kagome is gone…does it matter anymore what happens to me?  
  
"You're thinking about her, aren't you, Inuyasha? Can you tell me what happened?"  
  
He growled at her. "It's none of your damn business what happened!"  
  
Angry, the ghost child puffed her cheeks out and glared at him over her pug nose, lips jutting out. "It is too my business! I'm part of this group now too, you know!"  
  
"Yeah, well, I never asked you to join!"  
  
"Fine, I'll go bug the other one then!"  
  
"Fine, you do that!"  
  
With a hmph, hanyou and phantom turned from each other, hands held tightly to their chests. Silence passed between them for what felt like ages, until Shoukaki finally sniffed and jumped down. Inuyasha stared after her, then went back to sitting in the nook of the tree.  
  
Shoukaki floated along the ground a ways, then turned and headed toward Shippou. The fox-demon lay nestled in his tail between the roots of a nearby tree. Every now and again, he twitched, caught up in a dream. The ghost child knelt beside him and smiled as she watched, amused by his actions. He was so adorable in his sleep. Once, long long ago, she'd had a cat that did very similar things in her sleep. She could remember sitting for hours watching, a smile on her face.  
  
A fly settled on the kitsune's snout. Shippou nipped at it; when it didn't leave, he brought his paw up to smash it. With a thwack, the fox- demon missed the fly but woke himself up painfully. He whimpered childishly as he held his nose. "Tetetetete."  
  
The ghost-child giggled. Surprised to find he had company, Shippou scampered to his feet, then promptly fell back on his butt to talk. He smiled. "Hello, Shoukaki."  
  
She smiled back. "Hello, little kitsune." Briefly, she looked back over her shoulder to where Inuyasha lounged in his branches, then turned back to her friend. "Is he always like that?"  
  
Shippou blinked. "Always like what?"  
  
"So…so very crude. And dishonest. He doesn't admit anything, even to himself." She sighed. "And if he does, he just gets upset over it and yells at the first person he sees. I asked him what happened and he blew up at me."  
  
The owl hooted again. With a flap and rustle of leaves, the creature took off into the air, swooping on silent wings. The two on the ground watched it leave, then turned back to the conversation at hand. Shippou thought hard on what Shoukaki had mentioned, trying his best to think of a way to describe the Inuyasha he knew. "Well," he finally began, "I don't think Inuyasha really knows how to be anything but how he is. He's lived a life where he had to hide and be tough all the time. When Kagome… When Kagome came, she very slowly began to show him another world; a world where he didn't have to hide his feelings all the time and he could open up. I think she loved him. Actually—no, I know she loved him; and Inuyasha her. When she disappeared, Inuyasha was torn apart. He hasn't really been himself lately. He misses her a lot."  
  
Shoukaki nodded. "So it would seem. So it would seem…" She leaned back and for a long time looked at the stars. Shippou leaned forward, wrapping his arms around his knees and hugging them to his chest. Together, they sat beneath the nightly canopy in silence. Then Shoukaki asked: "Shippou, what exactly happened?"  
  
The kitsune was silent. Eyes front and hands clasped tightly at his knees, he sat in thought, unsure what to say and not sure he wanted to, anyhow. Next to him, Shoukaki waited patiently.  
  
Finally, Shippou spoke up, his voice quiet: "It was eight months ago, just after we'd found the last shard of the Shikon Jewel…"  
  
  
  
"We found it! Inuyasha, look, we found it! Isn't this wonderful?"  
  
Said half-demon lounged against a nearby boulder, Tetsusaiga sheathed at his waist. He was fingering the prayer beads strung about his neck as he watched Kagome jump up and down, jewel shard in hand. The smoking remains of a demon lay nearby, piled against the wall of the cave where they'd found and killed it. The last demon, possessing the last shard of the Shikon Jewel. Naraku. Shippou sat on Kagome's bag, clapping his small hands together, his tail bushier than usual in his excitement. Miroku and Sango hung back in the shadows. The priest clutched his cured right hand to his chest, smiling beatifically. Sango clung to his left. Everyone seemed so happy.  
  
With a squeal, Kagome jumped in front of Inuyasha, holding the shard in her hands. Hanging from her neck was the larger chunk of what would soon be the Shikon Jewel. Her eyes were bright and clear as she looked up at him. Inuyasha backed away slowly, slightly unnerved. The girl reached down and took his hands in hers, pressing the shard into his knuckles.  
  
"It's the last shard, Inuyasha. Aren't you happy?"  
  
The dog-demon snorted. When Kagome looked hurt, he sighed and nodded. "Of course I am, Kagome. It's just…well, now that we have all the shards, you won't have to be here anymore. I mean, it's not like I'll miss you or anything. You were a pain more often than not. And your tests got on my nerves. But…well, I…"  
  
She shushed him with a finger to his lips and smiled. "I'm going to miss this too, Inuyasha. But don't worry. I'm the priestess—I can't just leave the Jewel here alone. And, Inuyasha, I can't leave yo—"  
  
Commotion toward the front of the cave brought their conversation up short. With a growl, Inuyasha grabbed his sword, cursing loudly. Kagome ran and grabbed Shippou, pack and all and hid behind the nearest rock she could find. When he was sure she was safe, the hanyou darted toward the cave's entrance, where Miroku and Sango were busy fighting off a wave of demons.  
  
With a swing, Inuyasha brought the Tetsusaiga into action. A blast of energy shot out from the fang, slicing through his enemies and clearing a path out into the clearing that led to the cave. Miroku and Sango dashed out into the brightness of the afternoon, weapons drawn.  
  
Inuyasha turned to where Kagome and Shippou hid. He reached out one hand toward them. "Kagome, hurry up! You aren't safe in here!"  
  
She nodded and ran toward him. Shippou clung to her shirt frantically, trying his best not to cry. This wasn't fair! They had the last shard, so everything should have been all right! Where had all these stupid monsters come from?!?  
  
His unspoken question was answered as Kagome dashed out of the entrance to the cave and into the sunlight that bathed the glen. Emerging from the trees was an army of demons, youkai of all shapes and sizes. They clambered about, clawing at each other to get into the clearing. At their head was Inuyasha's brother—Sesshoumaru.  
  
Upon seeing his brother, Inuyasha grabbed Kagome and thrust her behind him. Sesshoumaru raised a hand to stop his demons, then advanced toward his half-breed sibling, eyes lidded and cold. The two dog-demons faced off; Inuyasha holding the Tetsusaiga in a death grip, legs ready to spring, his elder brother carrying his father's other tooth loosely. The impatient growl of his creatures served as a backdrop for their encounter.  
  
"Well, half-breed, we are well met, aren't we? I see you have your woman close-by, as usual. How convenient for me."  
  
Inuyasha snarled and held the Tetsusaiga ready for an attack. "Don't you dare lay a finger on Kagome, or I'll—"  
  
"Kill me, Inuyasha? Look about you, naïve half-breed. You are surrounded by hundreds of demons, ludicrously outnumbered and you have no route of escape. Your human companions will very likely die within a wave or two and you shall be left alone. And then you too shall die. Who will protect your precious woman then?"  
  
Before he could answer, Inuyasha was surprised to see Shippou suddenly jump in front of him, his tiny kitsune body shaking as he stared up at Sesshoumaru. With defiance in his eyes, the fox-demon faced off with the larger demon. "I-I-I'll protect Kagome if Inuyasha falls!"  
  
If Sesshoumaru could smile, Kagome thought for sure that he did so now. Looking down on the kitsune, the expression the dog-demon wore could only be described as a malevolent smile. With a flick, the tail that wrapped about the demon's shoulder snapped out and smashed into the kitsune on the ground, sending him rolling back into the rock wall of the cave. Kagome screamed and ran to him while Inuyasha got ready to take his brother down.  
  
The two demons squared off. Holding the Fang close, Inuyasha knelt low to the ground. "This is the end, Sesshoumaru. I refuse to put up with you anymore. And I refuse to let you hurt Kagome."  
  
Sesshoumaru simply unsheathed his own sword—and sheathed his father's Fang—and readied himself for battle. "There is very little you can do, half-breed. I shall kill you here, just as my demons shall kill those humans you foolishly travel with. And then the Jewel shall belong to me."  
  
"I won't let you take the Jewel. I won't let you hurt Kagome!" And with that, he sprang at his brother and the battle began.  
  
Kagome knelt beside Shippou, cradling his head in her hands. The fox-demon looked up at her with loving eyes and smiled. One tiny paw reached up and patted her cheek. "Don't worry, Kagome, Inuyasha will win. But…I'll still protect you…just in case."  
  
"Shippou…thank you. You'll always protect me, dear friend."  
  
"Hey, Kagome…?" She nodded her head to show she was listening, then the kitsune continued. "Inuyasha…he will win, won't he? I mean…even Sesshoumaru can't beat Dog Boy…right?"  
  
She smiled at him and held him tight. "Inuyasha…yes, Shippou, of course he'll win. No one can beat our Inuyasha."  
  
Shippou shook his head. "Your Inuyasha…he's your Inuyasha, Kagome…"  
  
The girl blushed, but said nothing. Toward the center of the clearing, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha had already begun their fight. Steel rang against steel as the brothers fought for supremacy. Kagome watched with fearful eyes from where she sat, holding Shippou close. Miroku and Sango sped along the treeline, fighting off the demons that were beginning to emerge in larger and larger waves. Without his air-rip, the priest was failing fast as his skills and fighting were no match for the hordes. Even Sango, with all her demon-hunting skills, wouldn't be able to hold them off were Miroku to fall.  
  
Reaching into her shirt, Kagome pulled out the Shikon shards she had. The larger crystal weighed heavily in her palm, the shard held lightly between her fingers. All she had to do was merge the two and the jewel would be complete. With the jewel complete…she could make any wish she wanted. Forgive me, Shippou, Miroku, Sango. Inuyasha…please, forgive me.  
  
Setting Shippou down gently against the rocks, Kagome placed the shard against the almost finished jewel. Bright light flared out from her palm, enveloping her and Shippou, the rock face and half the surrounding area. In the center of the glen, Inuyasha stopped suddenly and turned to face where his companions stood, lost in the light. While he was distracted, Sesshoumaru brought his sword down sharply, ready to drive it into his brother's unprotected skull.  
  
"Sit!"  
  
Inuyasha crashed to the ground just as his brother's sword slashed through the space his head had once occupied. Sesshoumaru growled deep in his throat, then brought his weapon back up, intent on skewering the prone half-demon that lay before him. As he brought his arms down, however, a blur shot past him and whisked the hanyou away. Sesshoumaru's sword tore through the bare earth and cleaved through rock with an unsatisfactory howl.  
  
Stunned, the half-breed stared up from where he lay near Shippou. The kitsune was breathing heavily; nearby lay a leaf, shrivelled and used. Inuyasha blinked. "Shippou…? What the hell…?"  
  
The fox-demon looked at him and wheezed: "Kagome…asked me to save you…Inuyasha…"  
  
"I didn't need to be saved, damnit! I had it perfectly under control!" Shippou laughed, but said nothing. Realising he wasn't going to get a response, the hanyou looked around. "Where is Kagome, anyhow?"  
  
In answer, the kitsune pointed toward the center of the glen. He pointed toward Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha flipped. "Why the hell did you let her go out there?! Damnit, you idiot! Kagome! Kagome!!"  
  
Oblivious to his cries, Kagome continued onward. From the corner of her eyes she could see Miroku fall to the ground, exhausted. Sango ran to him and stood over his body, boomerang at ready. She too look tired, but she continued fighting. She had to. Just like me. I have to keep fighting. I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I'm afraid you will not make a wish after all…  
  
Sesshoumaru eyed her coldly as she approached him. Frightened, Kagome clung to the completed jewel, hoping that its presence would strengthen her resolve. This was the only way to finally win. If she could rid the world of the evil demons…of Sesshoumaru in particular…So what if there will still be evil humans? Humans are evil because they are human—it's a part of us. But demons go beyond that. If I can stop them…If I can stop the demons, then I can save a lot more people…Inuyasha…someday, please, understand this.  
  
Stopping a few feet from him, Kagome cleared her throat; the jewel she clutched tightly to her chest. He couldn't see it—not until it was too late. "I won't let you hurt anyone anymore, Sesshoumaru. Too many people have been hurt by you. As the Priestess of the Shikon Jewel, it is my duty to protect this world." Shaking, she took another step forward. The jewel warmed her fingers as it began to stir to life.  
  
The demon looked at her frostily. His right hand held his sword loosely, his wrist brushed against Tenseiga where it lay at his hip. A gust of wind caught his white hair and cast it across his shoulder. His tail flicked slightly. "What do you hope to do, woman of my brother? You are nothing more than a frail and pitiful human. No claws, no fangs, no speed or agility. What do you hope to do against me, lord of this realm?"  
  
Breathing deeply, Kagome clutched the jewel so tightly that the harshness of its edge bit into her hands. Forgive me, Inuyasha. Beneath her breath, she began her prayer. "Jewel, I pray to you, as Priestess, to grant me this one wish. With this pure heart I ask that you save my friends and all those living in this world. Cleanse the land of those beasts that wish to harm it; free the people's hearts of fear; give this country peace. I give my whole being to attain this. Let that be the price." She took a deep breath. One more line…  
  
"What are you planning, girl…?" More amused and curious than alarmed at her mumbles, Sesshoumaru leaned forward to get a better look at her. "What do you have in your hands…?"  
  
Holding the jewel high, Kagome called out: "I, Priestess of the Shikon Jewel, pray to you to grant me my wish!"  
  
Blinding light shot out from her fist, engulfing everything in the area. Sesshoumaru screamed as the light enveloped him, his hand clasping the Tenseiga. At the edge of the trees, Sango looked up from where she knelt beside Miroku, the demon that was about to crush her in its claws evaporating as the luminescence crashed into him. Thousands of other demons struggled to escape, only to be destroyed as the light tore through their ranks mercilessly.  
  
By the cave, Inuyasha raised his arms to the light, then looked up again. Kagome stood in the center of the blaze, the jewel raised aloft. Her face was bathed in white, her hair streaked through with silver brilliance. Her hands…Inuyasha gasped. Her hands were disappearing. "Kagome! Kagome, what the hell are you doing?!" Struggling to see and with Shippou clinging to him, screaming, the half-demon clawed at the ground, trying his best to reach the girl who meant all the world to him. "This isn't what we planned! Kagome, don't you leave me!"  
  
The girl turned her face to him, that beautiful face bathed in such a soft glow and she smiled at him. Tears stood in her eyes as she watched him fight vainly to reach her. "Forgive me, Inuyasha. I wish…I wish you could have had your wish…that we could have stayed together…I'm sorry, Inuyasha. Forgive me." With the last of her strength, she reached out and gently touched the prayer beads that circled his neck; the cord shattered and the beads fell silently to the ground. "My last gift to you, dear. I set you free."  
  
"KAGOMEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!"  
  
Kagome…  
  
Startled, Kagome looked around her, trying to find the voice. There was nothing around her but light; even Inuyasha and Shippou had faded away. "Who…?"  
  
Kagome… In front of her, a small child appeared. The human gasped. It was her! Little Kagome blinked and smiled at her counterpart, then floated closer and held her face in small hands. Kagome…I'm sorry, but I cannot grant your wish. Your heart is torn and I cannot finish what you started. The child pressed her palm against Kagome's chest. I can't work if you can't make a pure wish. So you shall sleep a while, instead. A pact has been made, but cannot be fulfilled. I cannot take your life. She smiled. You will see Inuyasha again.  
  
"Who are you…? Are you the jewel?"  
  
Little Kagome laughed as she floated away into the light. The demons here have been destroyed, along with many others. I took the wish as far as I could. But I cannot take your life—the pact is not fulfilled. Rejoice, Priestess. You shall see Inuyasha again.  
  
Kagome felt her body falling as the light that surrounded her gave way to a deep and far reaching darkness. She felt insubstantial; she felt empty. Everything she had had gone into the jewel, into her wish. Now, spent, all she wanted to do was rest. I wonder when I'll see them again…?  
  
"Kagome! Kagome, where are you?"  
  
  
  
"And she disappeared. Ever since, we've been searching for her. It's been hard, though. Inuyasha hasn't been himself at all."  
  
Shoukaki nodded her understanding, then stood. "Well, I should go apologise to him, then, shouldn't I? And you need to get some rest. I'll talk to you in the morning, little kitsune." She turned and floated away, then stopped. Shippou blinked at her, wondering. She smiled at him. "Thank you, little kitsune. Thank you very much." Then she was gone.  
  
Inuyasha was still where she'd left him when she returned to the tree. He looked down at her and grumbled, then went back to staring at the sky. Shoukaki giggled and floated up to him, where she took a seat on the branch beside him. He hmphed but didn't say anything else.  
  
"Inuyasha?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm sorry I upset you. I didn't understand." She smiled warmly at him. "So I'm sorry."  
  
Surprised, the hanyou nodded slowly in acceptance, then went back to studying the stars. Shoukaki sat with him in silence and watched the night pass with him. 


	3. And Death Shall Have No Dominion

Blargh, I suck. I haven't been writing nearly as much as I wish I was. So is the horror of finding translated Card Captor Sakura manga. *Sigh.* Anywho. I was reading back through chapter two and realized just how silly sounding Kagome's little prayer was. I don't know why I wrote it like that…too much Sailor Moon in my youth, I would guess. It's rather corney…oh well.  
  
I'm going to reeeeeeeeeally try to get the fourth chapter written for next week. Actually…I'm aiming to have both chapter four and five written. I've got Hell Week coming up for our latest theatre production. *whimpers like a little girl*  
  
Please enjoy this latest installment. I actually worked really hard on the later scene. ^-^x  
  
  
  
Where Lost Souls Meet Again  
  
Chapter Three: And Death Shall Have No Dominion*  
  
  
  
  
  
The next morning came early. Clouds rolled along the horizon, dark and ugly. Inuyasha just snorted when Shippou suggested they look for shelter to wait out the storm. "I'm Inuyasha," he said simply in response to why they shouldn't.  
  
Shippou threw up his hands. "Of course, that's the reason for everything you do that's incredibly stupid."  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"You two haven't changed a bit."  
  
Demon and half-breed whipped about to see a smiling priest lounging against a nearby tree, staff in hand. He waved casually to the fighting companions as he pushed himself off the trunk and began sauntering toward them. Around his wrist he wore a string of prayer beads.  
  
Ecstatic, the kitsune ran to the erstwhile priest and jumped into his arms. Miroku fell back a little, thrown off balance from Shippou's increased size. He laughed when the fox-demon began yapping at him about everything that had happened since last they'd been together. "That's wonderful, Shippou. But you wouldn't happen to want to talk a little slower, would you? And perhaps on the ground? You aren't as small as once you were."  
  
Sheepish, but far too happy to let it get to him, Shippou hopped down to the ground and began telling his human friend about the last few days with Shoukaki. Miroku nodded occasionally, interested to know about how the phantom child could be substantial during the day but not at night and her unique situation in the world. "A ghost that's here for no reason? And you haven't been brought back by a Tattaremoke? How very strange."  
  
Shoukaki shrugged at his questions. "I can't quite explain it myself. I know that I died badly…and that I didn't want to…but I'm not here as a vengeful child or an outraged spirit. I just…I just came back. Even Mommy doesn't know why I'm here."  
  
That got everyone's attention more so than anything else the small ghost had said up till then. Miroku knelt down and slowly placed his hands on the girl's shoulders. "My, you are quite solid, aren't you, little one?" Then he looked her deep in the eyes, studying. She blinked, a bit uncomfortable. "You can talk to the dead?"  
  
She shook her head. "No no, I can only talk to Mommy. I can't even see the dead. I can hear Mommy talking to me from heaven, but that's all. She helps me sometimes when I'm really lonely." Shoukaki blinked childishly. "Why, is that odd?"  
  
The other three just looked at her.  
  
"Tch. You people always waste time. Come on, let's get going."  
  
Miroku stood and grabbed Inuyasha by his arm as he began heading off toward the clouds gathering on the horizon. "Wait, Inuyasha. I'm camped not far from here, why don't you come and stay with me until this storm passes? At least you'll be with old friends, yes?"  
  
Shippou jumped up and down, trying to get the priest's attention. "'Friends'? Is someone else with you, Miroku?"  
  
Inuyasha looked the priest over with lidded eyes and nodded. "Yeah, lecher. Who else is with you?"  
  
The one-time possessor of the air-rip smiled and tapped a finger to his nose. "Follow me and you shall see, Inuyasha." And then he turned on his heel and headed away, into the trees. One arm waved them along. "Come on, if you want. I can't force you but the company will be most welcome. Wouldn't you agree, Inuyasha?" His voice trailed away as he disappeared among the encroaching forestland.  
  
Shrugging, Inuyasha turned on his heel and followed the Buddhist monk back among the trees. Shippou and Shoukaki followed after, the fox-demon skipping along, the phantom child dashing from flower to flower, taking in the scents. Sunlight poured over them in intermittent spurts, giving way to heavy shadow more and more frequently as the storm rushed in on them. Occasionally the monk would stop and look up, then continue on his way. Neither the demons nor the ghost made mention of his actions.  
  
Bramble began to choke what meager path the four walked down the farther into the forest they went. Vines clung stubbornly to trees and moss dotted the aged bark. Up in the branches, birds rustled and cawed; a squirrel dashed across their way, followed closely by another. Shoukaki stopped to watch them disappear into the thickets until Shippou grabbed her hand and dragged her after. Insects flitted about their heads and buzzed merrily in the dying light.  
  
As he was oft to do, the priest stopped yet again to stare up through the shaking canopy. Since their last halt, the air had grown thick with electricity and the musk of rain. Inuyasha took a long whiff, then coughed. Miroku looked at him curiously. "Are you all right, Inuyasha?"  
  
Said demon nodded and rubbed his nose. "The air is getting heavy, that's all. It's not something I'm used to."  
  
"You've been in storms before, haven't you, Inuyasha?"  
  
The dog-demon glared at the priest before answering: "Of course I have. But none of them have ever smelled like this. I wonder what caused it…?" When no one answered, he shrugged and began walking again. "It doesn't really matter. I highly doubt a silly little storm is going to stop me."  
  
"No, of course not, Inuyasha. But walking that way will."  
  
Inuyasha turned to look at the priest as he finished his step, only to lose sight of him as the hanyou began tumbling down the incline he'd just stepped off. Rocks zipped by as Dog Boy spilled haphazardly down the hill, rolling and smashing into everything that graced the earth's surface. When he finally skid to a halt, he was about fifty feet below the rest and cradled in the roots of a fairly large tree. From above, Shippou looked down and waved jubilantly.  
  
Miroku's voice drifted over the edge, sprinkled with laughter. "Well, I tried to warn you, my friend. In any rate, we'll be joining you shortly. The path leads to about twenty feet off the right of your perch. Wait for us." And his laughter drifted away as he began heading down to his demon companion.  
  
Shippou peered over one last time to add his sentiments. "At least you made it before us, Dog Boy. That's something to be proud of." And then he, too, disappeared.  
  
Alone but for the tree at his back, Inuyasha growled and sat up. A short ways away was the forest line—and the path he should have walked out on. Slightly put out, he waited for the others to join him; to pass the time, he stared up at the sky and the gathering clouds. The smell of lightning was stronger now and the half-breed could see arcs of electricity racing through the pregnant underbellies that coiled above him. A low rumbling was growing in the distance. This may not be good.  
  
Pushing himself to a standing position, the hanyou loped out from under his tree to get a better view of the patched sky. He frowned. Those clouds don't look right. They're too oily and smell wrong—like soot. What kind of storm is this?  
  
He was just about to hop up to the top of his tree to get a better look when Shippou came darting down the path from the entrance of the woods about twenty feet away. Following closely after was Shoukaki, her arms and legs pumping furiously, her face dark from lack of breath. Inuyasha raised an inquisitive eyebrow. Were those two…racing?  
  
"Inuyasha! Save me!"  
  
Before he could reply, the dog-demon had a face-full of kitsune and found himself tumbling to the ground. Shippou scrambled about, then finally darted up Inuyasha's tree. A couple moments later, that mischievous face poked back down and grinned. "Thank you, Dog Boy. I think you may have saved me."  
  
Inuyasha just humphed.  
  
And Shoukaki jumped on him. "Get down here, Shippou! You can't just pull my hair and then run away! That's not fair!" The little girl was eyeing the tree branches, her face plump as she pouted, arms crossed darkly in front of her. She stamped her foot. "You come down here right now!" Stamp stamp.  
  
"No way!"  
  
"Right now!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Yes!" Stomp stomp.  
  
"Ghost…get off…of…me…."  
  
Shoukaki looked down. Flushing in embarrassment, she lightly stepped off Inuyasha's chest, then bowed politely in apology. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I didn't see you there…"  
  
Pushing himself back up into a sitting position, all Inuyasha could do was stare.  
  
Just then, Miroku shuffled out from beneath the tree line, staff jangling. He smiled and waved. Inuyasha stood and dusted himself off in reply. The priest sauntered over and took a look at his half-demon companion. "Nothing broken, I wager?" He nimbly dodged the claw that streaked his way, then turned his attention to the children. Shoukaki was jumping up and down at the base of the tree in some childish hope that she could reach the branch Shippou was on. Miroku laughed and picked her up. "No, no dear, you need to be higher. Here you go." He helped her up into the branches, where she quickly darted off after a retreating kitsune. Then the priest returned his attention to Inuyasha. "Ah, children, such sweet creatures, yes?"  
  
Inuyasha decided not to bring up the "sweet, childish yelling" that was emanating from the tree, or the kitsune that just got thrown out.  
  
With that out of the way, the companions turned and headed along the gradually forming road. The inky black sky began to rumble again. Shoukaki inched a little closer to Shippou and gripped his arm fearfully. He blinked and looked down at her. "Are you okay, Shoukaki?"  
  
She nodded but huddled closer. "I don't like this storm. Something isn't right about it." She shuddered. "I don't think it's natural."  
  
"Indeed not." She blinked up at Miroku as he took a spot beside her. His eyes were dark and focused, as though he were deep in thought. Inuyasha pricked his ears to listen. "It is indeed not natural, little one. That substance up there is not clouds, but demon souls. Many, many demon souls." He stopped and gazed up at the roiling mass yet again. Sweat beaded his brow. "I don't know how this happened, however. The Shikon Jewel is safely hidden and so many demons were wiped away. I don't know who could have done this." He sighed, then smiled down at the phantom girl. "But don't worry, we can solve this. So you have no reason to fear."  
  
The little child frowned, then nodded. "I'll be brave, Big Brother. Besides…the dead can't kill the dead…right?"  
  
Miroku just smiled and they continued on their way.  
  
They walked along the road for quite a while in silence after that, the monk occasionally looking up at the bloated sky with worry. Inuyasha walked in the lead, away from the others. He was worried about this storm. If the Shikon Jewel was out of reach—Don't think about her, you idiot—and most of the demons destroyed, who could have the power to raise such a monstrous storm? Sesshoumaru could, but he had disappeared after the Jewel incident and all of the demons he'd brought with him had died in the clearing that day. Were it his brother, the youkai would have made himself known by now—it wasn't Sesshoumaru's way to fight Inuyasha from the shadows. And he couldn't think of any other high-powered demons that would care to raise a horde like this—especially since Naraku was dead. So where did it come from?  
  
A horde of dead youkai…I don't understand who could do this. There aren't any high level demons that could. And nature couldn't produce a storm like that. Is it because the Jewel no longer has a priestess…? He mentally slapped himself in the head. Stupid stupid stupid! Of course it wouldn't be because of her. Stop thinking about her. Get a hold of yourself—you're nothing but a waste. That stupid human…that stupid, ungrateful human that left you behind…stop thinking about her, you idiot! That girl always had him feeling so weak! No matter what he did, he couldn't stop himself from going back to her, or thinking of her, or being strong. She couldn't possibly be the reason that the youkai are massing now. She wasn't so important…the Jewel was important. So what if she's gone?!  
  
Thunder crashed, startling the half-breed from his thoughts. He looked up in time to see lightning arc out and slice through a grove of trees, the branches going up in dark flames. Soot and smoke slithered out along the ground, oozing and coalescing into a broader, voluminous shape. It roiled fitfully, then rushed toward the four creatures standing on the road. They stared in fascination as a gaping, screaming maw formed in the advancing creature, the blackness inviting them all to die.  
  
With a scream, Shoukaki took off in the opposite direction, Shippou close behind. After a moment of gauging the situation, Miroku and Inuyasha followed suit.  
  
Behind them, the demonic clouds rushed along the road, tearing up the soil, spitting rocks and breathing fire. Lightning split the trees that gathered about; thunder boomed. The dog-demon and the priest easily caught up to their smaller companions as they raced along, trying desperately to escape the steadily solidifying mass of soot and smoke. When it was apparent that the children were not going to be able to keep up their speed, Miroku grabbed Shippou and Inuyasha scooped Shoukaki up off the ground.  
  
The mass howled like a fiend as it crashed along behind them, ripping apart everything in its path. Miroku ventured a look back, then promptly increased his speed. Inuyasha grunted and looked back for himself. What had once been a fairly shapeless hump of demonic miasma now stalked along behind, its wolf's head darting back and forth, its great paws gouging holes in the earth. Lightning streaked along its coat and fire bled from its eyes.  
  
Even Inuyasha felt a stab of fear looking at it.  
  
"Priest, what the hell is that thing?"  
  
Miroku attempted to shrug. "I do not know, but whatever it is, it could very easily kill us."  
  
Inuyasha laughed humourlessly. "What gave you that idea?" He took another look behind him. "Shit! Priest, get out of the way!"  
  
Before he could respond, the hanyou bowled his companions over, flinging them off the road and into the sparse growth of trees a few yards away. Miroku struggled to sit up; just as he'd forced his way from the pile, a wall of flame shot up from the path. Oily smoke rolled from the tips and blackened the sky further.  
  
Shippou stared in horror. "What…what happened?"  
  
Shoukaki pointed fearfully toward the soot-wolf a hundred yards down the road. As the fire died away, the group could see the demon beast closing its gaping jaws, the last vestiges of fire leaking from its ebony teeth. Its deep sunk eyes turned and sought them out.  
  
Above, the lightning began reaching farther and farther into the surrounding area. It tore through the trees, raked the ground and lanced through the few streams and lakes that lay about. Thunder roared. Miroku watched in horror both the lightning and the soot wolf; suddenly, he cried out and jumped to his feet. His eyes were on the lightning that had just shot back into the woods to his left. "My God…Sango!"  
  
Without pause, he darted toward the tree line, completely oblivious to the fact that the giant demon wolf had just spotted them. Shippou cried out and made a grab for his robes, only to miss and plant his face in the grass. Inuyasha growled and readied himself. "I don't know what kind of demon this is or how it came to be, but I sure as Hell am not going to lose to it." He eyed Shoukaki over his shoulder; she cowered behind Shippou. "Can you fight with those rope things of yours?"  
  
The phantom child lowered her head, but nodded. I don't have much choice, do I? she thought, resigned. They need all the help they can get…I can't just let them die. No more death…no more sadness…Shaking her head, she gathered her thoughts. She'd have to be very careful not to overdue it, though. Her ropes were a double-edged sword; she needed to use them carefully. With a sigh, she stood and approached the dog-demon. Her face was pale, her eyes a dark, seething black. She did not smile when she turned her face up to his. "I will help you, Inuyasha."  
  
He nodded and together they turned to confront the dead.  
  
  
  
Miroku ran helter-skelter through the trees, his robes snagging on brambles and undergrowth. Fire burned his lungs and pain lanced through his leg from the huge gash he'd gotten when Inuyasha pushed him out of the fire's path. He ignored it, however and pressed onward. Sango was more important than his comfort.  
  
Lightning shot overhead. Miroku spun roughly on his feet and darted off to the left, crashing through bracken. A particularly low, sharp branch sliced his cheek just beneath the eye and tore his ear. He winced, but otherwise paid no attention to it. Sango was just a little farther along. He prayed the lightning hadn't found her yet.  
  
It's searching, almost like it's alive. Where did it come from? Some thorns nicked his hands and arms, tearing the fabric of his robe along with his flesh. Someone must have sent this storm for a reason. Are they looking for the Jewel? Another branch whipped across his face; his eyes watered. God, if that's the case…Sango, please be all right!  
  
Tearing through the woods as he was, Miroku failed to notice the pile of sticks and leaves in his way. With a yelp, the priest crashed to the ground, nursing a sore knee, among other things. Something grunted.  
  
Curious, the monk stopped administering to his knee and leaned forward, toward the guilty pile. He poked it. It grunted. Blinking, Miroku leaned in even closer, then poked again. It grunted again. "How very curious." Once more, he leaned in to poke it…  
  
…and got an elbow in the face for his troubles. Surprised, the priest fell back, clutching his tortured nose, while the pile stirred. Another arm popped up out of the mess, followed by a head, torso and finally legs. Leaves matted fine black hair and a facemask covered pretty features. A giant boomerang hung off her shoulder. Miroku wanted to cry.  
  
Sango stood, brushing the last vestiges of earth from her hunter's outfit. A scrap of cloth was wound around her ankle. Pulling her mask from her face, she smiled down at him. "Well, I'm glad to see that you're well—"  
  
Her words were cut short as the priest grabbed her in a rough embrace. His voice was heavy as he said: "Thank the gods you're safe. I was so worried the lightning had reached you first…"  
  
For a while, Sango held him close in comfort, then she gently pushed him away so that she could talk. Her smile was beatific. "I'm all right, Miroku. You silly priest, worrying about me so. But I'm fine—I got out of the clearing before the lightning struck. I couldn't save anything, though…I'm sorry."  
  
He shook his head vehemently. "I don't care about anything else; you're all that's important to me. I don't want to lose you." Suddenly aware of what he was saying, the priest clamped his lips shut. Sango was looking at him with wide, wondering eyes. Her lips were pursed slightly. Miroku coughed and continued on. "Your safety is far more important than any inanimate objects."  
  
Her eyes grew solemn. "Even more than the Shikon Jewel?"  
  
Miroku gazed deep into the hunter's velvet eyes for a long moment, then nodded. "More than anything."  
  
A smile spread across her lips and she hugged him close. For a moment, Miroku simply lay pressed against her; slowly, his arms snaked around her waist and he clung to her, too happy to let go. When they finally did part, he bent over and delicately touched her ankle. "What's this?"  
  
She blushed, then sat down carefully; the monk followed suit. She laughed. "It's my momento from the lightning. A chunk of bark caught me across the shin as I was grabbing for this." Calmly, the demon exterminator reached into the top of her armour and produced a small, incandescent sphere between her slender fingers. It illuminated her face and set sparks in her eyes. "It was the one thing I saved…Inuyasha would be far too sad if I were to lose this."  
  
The monk shook his head. "You hurt yourself for that. You didn't need to."  
  
"Yes, I did." He blinked at her. "That storm overhead…that lightning. Miroku, it was a demon. I may not be very active since Kagome blasted the majority of them off the planet, but I can still sense when a demon is present and that lightning was definitely demonic."  
  
Miroku frowned. "So it's alive. I wonder if it brought the soot-wolf here…" Sango gave him a strange look, but he just smiled and waved it away. "Regardless, you're right, there is definitely a demon afoot."  
  
She nodded and gripped the Jewel tightly in her hands. "And that's why I had to save the Jewel. There's no way I could ever let it fall into demon hands…"  
  
As her words trailed away, the sky lit up with a thunderous stroke of light. The two humans started, then dove for cover as a bolt speared down a few feet from where they sat. It flickered and hissed, then spat at them: "Give me the Shikon Jewel."  
  
Tucking it back into her top, Sango grabbed Miroku's hand and dashed into the trees. The lightning creature hissed, then arced across the trees' tops to smash down in front of the running humans. Electricity filled the air with its metallic scent. "I said to give me the Shikon Jewel, humans. It does not belong to creatures so weak."  
  
Seeing nowhere to run that the demon couldn't reach them at, Sango took up a fighting stance and grabbed her boomerang. Her mask went back in place. "I will die before I give you this Jewel, demon. I will not disappoint Inuyasha like that." And she lunged forward, her boomerang springing from her extended fingers.  
  
The creature dodged the blow easily and jumped forward in an attempt to electrocute the hunter where she stood. Sango stood erect, fully prepared to face the demon where she stood, when a staff shot out in front of her and repelled the lightning back. She stared in shock at the monk who stood protectively in front of her. "Sango, run!"  
  
"But—"  
  
"I said run!"  
  
Taken aback by the harshness of his tone, Sango turned and fled back into the trees, in the direction Miroku had come from. When he was sure she was gone, the monk focused his attention back on the task at hand. Sango was safe—that was all that mattered.  
  
The demon chuckled coldly, its voice sparking. "Foolish human, she was the far stronger between you. You just threw away your only hope."  
  
Smiling and with eyes cold as steel, Miroku shrugged. "Perhaps, demon, but I am more than enough to defeat you."  
  
"Oh? You can't possibly defeat m—"  
  
Preoccupied as it was with Miroku, the demon did not sense the returning boomerang. The weapon sliced cleanly through the center of the creature, ripping it apart from back to front. Screaming in pain and consumed in its own fire, the lightning demon writhed as its own body ate itself away. Miroku grabbed the boomerang as it flew by, jarring himself from his feet and watched as the last remnants of his foe faded into the damp earth below. Sighing, he struggled to his feet and hobbled in the direction Sango had run. I'm just not cut out for this type of work anymore…  
  
Above, the clouds began to lighten and the primal roar of thunder echoed harmlessly off the trees.  
  
  
  
Inuyasha tumbled back across the harsh ground, his skull bashing painfully against several rocks. Nearby, Shippou was trying his best to ward off a horde of dancing flames with his spinning top. Shoukaki stood gallantly in front of the soot wolf, her black cords darting in and out of the roiling mass that composed the demon.  
  
How the hell are we supposed to kill something that's already dead? This just isn't possible! Dog Boy drove his fist into the ground, frustration and fear getting the better of him. What if I can't beat this thing? Miroku's gone…Shippou can't fight that well and Shoukaki …something's wrong with her. She looks like she's in pain. Damnit, what am I going to do?!?  
  
Another spout of flame tore along the ground; Inuyasha scampered out of the way, then charged back into the fray with renewed vigor. He wouldn't let some oversized pup beat him, oh no. Not Inuyasha. With a wild yell, he jumped the beast, claws extended.  
  
Lightning crackled through the air, lacing itself through the oily blackness of the demon's body and sending Inuyasha flying back again. He cursed and looked up at the roiling clouds overhead. Lightning arced across the cloud's belly, diving down into the giant soot-wolf, almost like a lifeline. Off in the distance, another arc sped through the trees, snapping and twisting as though chasing prey. Miroku had run that way…the hanyou shuddered to think of the implications.  
  
Stupid beast, why can't you just die? Again? Once more, the dog- demon threw himself against his opponent.  
  
Shippou watched helplessly as his friends fought off the giant demon, himself unable to move for want of killing his own enemies. Around him, animated demons from the soot-wolf's flame mocked in vicious glee. The fire-darts danced around him playfully, singeing his tail and laughing like small children. His top was completely useless; if he smothered one flame, another just duplicated itself to fill the void. He had to kill them all at once, or there was no hope of destroying them. He wanted to cry. He wasn't good at this!  
  
Kagome…Kagome help me! He sniffled as he sent his top out yet again, fully aware of the futility of it all. And not only his actions were futile; Kagome was gone and she couldn't possibly help him. I'm trying Kagome…I really am. But it's so hard. I promised I'd protect you and I couldn't do that. I found resolve in the fact that Inuyasha needed someone to help him through it and I got a hold of myself. I even grew up—you should see me, Kagome. I look like I could be your little brother. I'm taller, a little stronger…but it doesn't seem to matter. No matter how strong or big I get, I can't protect the ones I love… He watched as his top smothered two more flames, only to watch as two more took their places. They were laughing at him. Why can't I do anything right, Kagome? Why couldn't I save you?  
  
A flame crept close and singed the end of Shippou's tail. The kitsune cried out and turned to face his attacker, while another came at his exposed rear. Laughing shrilly, the fire-darts pooled overtop the flailing kitsune and dragged him to the ground.  
  
"Kagome!"  
  
His cry could be heard all the way to where Inuyasha and Shoukaki fought with the soot-wolf. Shoukaki turned at the sound of her frightened companion, her black eyes shifting back to gray. The cords that wound around and pierced the demon dissolved into nothing, as did the small silver wire that wrapped grossly around her throat. A sliver of blood trickled down her neck.  
  
Frantically, the phantom girl raced over to where Shippou lay, smoke rising from his smoldering fur. The smell was terrible. Screaming, she tore into the fire-darts, heedless of the burns they inflicted on her. The creatures laughed, but darted back, exposing a badly burned and wracked kitsune. Shippou tore at the ground with paws no bigger than Shoukaki's hand. His body, only slightly bigger than her own, writhed and twisted in pain on the charred ground. "Oh dear God…little kitsune…"  
  
The demons laughed harder and darted for the ghost-girl, intent on burning her just as they had her companion. The child took them in with dully black eyes as she stood to face their assault. Raising her arms high, her body illuminated by some otherworldly light, she struck out at them. Black cords twisted around each fire-dart, holding them still. They struggled against their bonds, laughter turning to baleful chatter, chatter falling back into gruesome screams as her cords tightened inexorably around them. One or two exploded; several screamed in agony as they dissolved into nothing; yet a few others shattered as the black twine pierced through them and undid their bindings. When all was done, only she and the kitsune remained on the charred and tortured grass.  
  
Thunder rang out overhead as Inuyasha threw himself at his opponent yet again. The beast smacked him aside as easily as a small fly and with about as much contempt. The dog-demon growled and attacked again. Over and over the dance went and Inuyasha was growing tired. He couldn't beat this stupid creature! As long as that lightning poured through its body, the beast would keep regenerating and repelling every one of the hanyou's attacks.  
  
"Damnit, why won't you just die?"  
  
Fire spewed forth from the demon's mouth, enveloping the brazen half- breed in flames. He sneered and jumped forward, straight into his opponents gaping jaws. "Haha! Die, you son of a bitch!" Steel-sharp claws raked down the innards of the beast, gashing the darkness wide. The mass recoiled and humped, wracked violently as Inuyasha skewered it on his arm. Soot and smoke crashed down over the dog-demon and drove him to the ground; he fell out through the demon's chest, a sizable wound staring back at him.  
  
The beast roared. With a hole the size of a man in its chest, it slowly collapsed to the ground, the impact jarring Inuyasha from his feet. Smoke rolled off it and into the air, oily and black. The lightning on its body sparked and sputtered as though trying to revive the fallen creature. Inuyasha hmphed. It's about time the damn thing died again.  
  
In the distance, the sound of screaming echoed off the trees. Curious, the hanyou turned his head to look. Lightning shot up from the trees, then crashed back down among the branches. Fire reddened the skyline. What the hell? As he watched, the lightning shot up again, jagged and flailing about violently. It sounded like something was screaming. What the hell is going on over there?  
  
"Inuyasha, look out!"  
  
Too late to respond to Shoukaki's desperate plea, Inuyasha took the full brunt of the soot-wolf's blow. He sailed through the air and landed with a sickening crack against the hard ground. Painfully, Dog Boy raised his head to see how the beast could possibly still be moving.  
  
Electricity coursed frantically along the limbs of the demon and through the cavernous wound in its chest. The youkai was up on its front legs, shaking and weak and desperately trying to stand. Fire leaked from its mouth and eyes and a wailing groan broke from behind its teeth. The lightning coursed faster and faster; soon the demon was up and advancing. Its steps shook the earth.  
  
Inuyasha simply stared at his enemy as it approached. He was in too much pain to move and far too weak to fight. Laying on the ground, all he could do was smile. "I guess I'll see you soon, won't I, Kagome? You won't be lonely anymore…" And so he waited for the final blow.  
  
Thunder bellowed from the sky as bolt after bolt rained down on the smoke and soot creation that crawled across the surface of the earth. The demon howled once, then raised its paw to stamp out the broken hanyou. As its claws soared down through the air, another scream echoed out from the forest and suddenly all was still. The clouds that had once been so untamed broke and slipped apart as the lightning that imbued them fizzled away. Where once great bursts of thunder roared silence prevailed. The setting sun blazed brilliantly down to the earth.  
  
Screaming, the soot-wolf came down to the ground far wide of Inuyasha, casting itself against the harsh earth with the power of its own swing. With no more lightning to keep it going, the wound inflicted to its chest began to tear further. To those watching, it looked almost as though two hands had reached down and were pulling the sides of the wound apart, tearing the demon in two. Its screams could be heard throughout the heavens, even after its body had been rent in two and nothing but billowing smoke remained.  
  
Shoukaki rushed over to where Inuyasha lay, worry on her face. Gently, she reached down and pulled his head into her small lap. "Inuyasha. Inuyasha, are you all right?"  
  
Said demon looked up at her; she could have sworn she saw sorrow in his deep amber eyes. "Heh, I guess I will be now. Now…" He trailed away and turned his face so that he no longer looked at her.  
  
Carefully, the phantom child laid Inuyasha back down on the earth, then darted over to where Shippou still lay on the charred grass. His fur was badly burned and his paws were considerably scorched, but he was breathing deep and evenly. Shoukaki sighed as she took her place back beside him. His demon powers will heal him. That is good to know. Tenderly, she stroked his cheek with her small hands. I would not want you to die, little kitsune. Too many people would be sad. And I do not want to be sad any further than I already am.  
  
Ever so slowly, the sun dipped beneath the horizon and the world was bathed in peaceful darkness. Shoukaki looked up at the sky, at the brilliantly twinkling stars and prayed that Inuyasha and Shippou could heal quickly. She really didn't want them to be hurt. She chuckled quietly and gazed at Shippou. "Funny, isn't it, little kitsune, how attached I've become to you two. And to think that I had tried to scare you away and kill Inuyasha only a few days ago. And look at this mess we've gotten ourselves into! You lead wonderfully hectic lives, don't you, little kitsune? If I'd known all this would happen, I think I may have stayed at home." She could feel herself beginning to cry, but kept talking anyhow. Maybe Shippou would like to hear her voice while he slept in the grass. "I mean, we're all safe, so I shouldn't be saying things like that. I'm so happy to have met you and Inuyasha and it's so wonderful to be able to travel around again. I just…well, what if you hadn't come out of this alive, you know? I don't think I could stand to see another person die, little kitsune." Her voice broke and she felt herself sobbing. Reaching up, she covered her dry face with small hands. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't cry. We're all safe; nothing happened. I'll let you rest now. We'll just wait for Miroku to come, little kitsune. And in the morning everything will be all right."  
  
Her quiet sobs lay over them as they waited for Miroku to return.  
  
  
  
  
  
*Those of you who can name the author of the poem I took the title of this chapter from earn a prize. Well…not really. But it's fun trivia. 


	4. To Each a New Path

*takes a deep breath* GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!! *coughs* sorry…I had to get that out.  
  
I'm really really sorry about the huge delay in getting this chapter out. I've been reeeeeeeeeeally busy these last couple of weeks, plus I just couldn't write this chapter for the life of me. I kid you not, I erased the whole thing at least three times, it was so bad. I like how it came out, but…damn it took forever. And it's still pretty out of character in parts…  
  
*claps hands* Congratulations to Vitani FyreWolf for knowing the author of the title to my last chapter. Dylan Thomas is my all time favourite poet and I just had to use him in there somewhere. I can't give you a prize, unfortunately, as I have nothing, but you have my appreciation for knowing such a great work.  
  
Anywho…I hope you all enjoy this long-to-get-out chapter. As always, criticism is welcome. I'm always glad to hear other people's opinions. Since this is, in the end, for other people. Enjoy and thank you all for sticking with it so far.  
  
  
  
Where Lost Souls Meet Again  
  
Chapter Four: To Each a New Path  
  
  
  
Gravel crunched beneath his feet as he trod along the desolate ground. Bones littered the ground around him, lying among broken branches and rocks. Shallow ravines and streams long since run dry were submerged beneath a low-lying fog, damp and impenetrable. Nothing stirred.  
  
Little Inuyasha stopped just as his bare feet met with the fog line. He was carrying a satchel full of rocks—but to him they were more. He toted them around as though they were a lifeline, something that could keep him from falling, from breaking down and collapsing in a heap. He even liked to pretend they could restrain him, if only he uttered the word "sit."  
  
The fog sifted a bit as little Inuyasha sat down. He was tired. He wasn't very strong and his legs were short. No one was there to keep him going and he had very little will to do so anyhow. A brief sigh escaped him. So much for being the strong, egocentric demon he always dreamt of being. He knew where his strength lay now. Absolutely nowhere.  
  
The boy hmphed. What am I thinking? Of course I'm strong. I'm Inuyasha! My father was a great demon; why—how could I possibly be weak? Ha! I'm not weak at all…it's those stupid humans' faults. They made me travel with them for too long and I lost my edge. Well…I'm not going to lose my strength. No, no way at all! He grinned triumphantly at the fog bank; the fog bank barely registered his existence.  
  
"Well, fog, wouldn't you agree? I'm strong, right?" The fog simply sat there, looking foggish. Little Inuyasha growled. "Well, aren't I? Answer me, damnit! Answer me!" He chucked a fragment of bone at it, only to watch it disappear into the white clouds, small and dark. "Mocking bastard."  
  
Without an answer from the fog, the half-demon turned to his satchel. Inside clunked some small stones, very round and shiny, worn so from his continual handling of them. Little Inuyasha smiled as he pulled some reverently from their places. They stared up at him from their place in his palms and said nothing.  
  
"Well, what of you, stones? You held me in check for a very long time. You think I'm strong, right?" They did not speak to him. This was growing tiresome. "Come on, stones, answer me. I wore you around my neck for so long…surely you can say that I am strong. It must have taken a lot of power to hold me back like you did." Still they would not speak. The boy stared at them in horror as they continued to sit silently in his palm. "Answer me, stones. Don't be like the fog. I'm strong, right? I know I'm strong…I know I am!"  
  
Wrapping his fingers around the stones, he stood and readied himself to fling the offending talisman into the equaling infuriating fogbank. Just as his hand was about to open, however, he stopped. Eyes wide and body trembling, he collapsed back to the ground. The stones clattered from his numb fingers and scattered around him on the dead earth. He stared at them dully.  
  
What was he doing? Getting mad at fog…losing patience with stones? Had he fallen so far that he couldn't even keep himself sane? Am I really strong? Of course I am…of course…  
  
Suddenly he screamed and ripped at his hair. "This is stupid!" With his small fist, the hanyou slapped the ground with a loud smack; the fog swirled. "I'm such a disgusting creature. So weak and vulnerable, just like a human. I'm not strong, I'm not powerful. I'm just as powerful as this stupid fog." Angrily, he flailed his arms around, trying to break the clouds apart. They stayed just as thick and impenetrable as though he'd never made a move. "Break, damn you! Be as weak as me! Be weak! Don't leave me alone like this!"  
  
With a wail, he threw himself at the fog, clawing and raking with all his might. But no matter what he did, the clouds always returned to normal, neither marred nor displaced and placid as a quiet pool. They mocked him, those damned clouds. Little Inuyasha stood and glared at them, then rubbed his nose. "Stop mocking me. Stop being stronger than me! Stop showing me how weak I really am!"  
  
Amazingly, the fogbank moved. Ever so slightly, but it moved. A shadow passed through their center, leaving the hanyou transfixed. What was moving in that denseness? It was mocking him again, surely. It was saying to him: Look at me, I'm strong enough to encase shadows and repel attacks. Look at how much stronger than you I am.  
  
But the fogbank wasn't moving, nor was it encasing anything. As he watched, the shadow grew larger, then fainter and a body appeared. It was clouded and hard to make out at first, but as it approached the dog-demon could see that it was a person. Small, with quick movement, the shadow approached. Frightened, Little Inuyasha backed away, only to trip on a stone lying scattered on the ground; he tumbled to his bottom and waited for the creature to jump out at him. This shadow creature.  
  
The fog made way and the shadow gained substance. Fear changed to revulsion as the half-breed watched as his most important treasure walked out and looked down at him with wide, intense eyes. Looked at his weak, pathetic self. He backed away. "Don't look at me."  
  
"Inuyasha." Kagome knelt down beside him; he backed away some more. "Inuyasha, it's me…Kagome…"  
  
"I said get away!"  
  
She stared at him with eyes gone hard and bit her lower lip. "You're not Inuyasha."  
  
The hanyou shuddered and looked up at her. "What do you mean? Of course I'm Inuyasha." He trembled. "Kagome…Kagome, it's really you." This was really Kagome, the one he'd searched for. If she came to him, surely he wasn't weak! He had no reason to back away from her. "I thought the fog sent you to taunt me. I'm so glad I get to see you again!" He lunged toward her, smiling happily. "I've missed you so much."  
  
Kagome recoiled from him in disgust. "Don't touch me! Where's Inuyasha? What did you do to Inuyasha?"  
  
Little Inuyasha stared at her, his heart sinking. "I'm right here, Kagome…I've been waiting for so long to see you again. I…I haven't wanted anything but to see you again. I came as soon as I could. Why can't you see me when I'm right here?"  
  
She retreated further away, until her back was against the fogbank. "You're not Inuyasha. My Inuyasha wouldn't cringe and cry and scream like you. He wouldn't be so weak. He'd look and look and look for me and he'd never give up. Inuyasha never takes the easy path. I don't know who you are but give me my Inuyasha back!"  
  
The dog-demon stared as she stood and turned away. "I waited so long, Kagome…why? WHY?!"  
  
  
  
Inuyasha blinked the sleep from his eyes and stared upward at a canopy of leaves. The moon hung low in the sky, a pale sliver against the velvety blackness of night. Two or three stars twinkled brightly; the rest of the sky was only barely lit by sparsely placed spheres. It was a beautiful night.  
  
Heh, the hanyou laughed at himself. Looks like it was just a dream. Kagome wouldn't ever really say those things. Of course she'll know me when I see her again. It'll just take a little longer, now…  
  
A cricket chirped. Somewhere nearby, an owl hooted and night-bugs gathered. Voices whispered out from the shadows; someone was approaching. Inuyasha turned his head to see who was coming.  
  
"Ah, priest. I see you survived."  
  
Miroku let himself sink to the ground beside his friend's head and nodded. "So it would seem, my friend. So it would seem. I'm pleased to note that you made it out all right."  
  
The dog-demon just laughed. Made it out, did he? He saw it more as a curse; had he died, he may have been able to see Kagome again. But then again…would she be happy to see him if he hadn't gotten rid of his bastard brother yet? Maybe that's what the dream meant. I can't go to her until I avenge her. Heh, stupid human, always making my life difficult. It's not because I'm weak…  
  
"Anyhow," Miroku said softly, breaking into his friend's thoughts, "I wanted to see how you're doing. You took quite a beating against that demon the other day."  
  
Other day? "How long have I been asleep, priest?"  
  
Miroku sighed, then looked up at the sky. He studied the stars as he said: "You've been asleep for about two days now, Inuyasha. You took some serious damage fighting that creature and even your body needed time to heal. Plus…" The monk looked down at the hanyou next to him with something akin to pity in his eyes—and maybe contempt? "I don't think you wanted to wake up. It was almost as if you were trying to stay asleep forever."  
  
Inuyasha snorted. "I haven't got a clue what the hell you're talking about, priest. And besides, it's none of your damn business, even if I didn't want to ever wake up again."  
  
A swift kick to the head had the hanyou sitting up and glaring at his companion coldly. Miroku stared right back, his composure calm but his eyes burning with fury. His voice was deadly calm as he took Inuyasha's kimono in his hands and dragged him close. "You listen to me, you ungrateful half-breed. I don't give a damn how you're feeling since Kagome went away—wallow in self-pity and sadness for all I care. But don't you dare take the life she gave you for granted. So you want to just go to sleep? waste away and die, quiet and alone? Well that's just too damn bad, because that is not why Kagome made her wish and it sure as hell wasn't what she wished for you. Wake up and realize the truth—"  
  
"Don't you dare tell me what to do, priest!" Inuyasha roared. He vaulted to his feet, slapping Miroku's hands away in the process. "You can spout off all you want how Kagome made that wish so that I could live, and how she wouldn't want me to feel this way, but it doesn't change a thing! You don't have a clue how I feel, you stupid damned human! Not a clue! You didn't lose the single most important person in your life, you can't comprehend how I feel right now! So don't you dare lecture me how I should feel or how I should act. You have no right."  
  
Standing now as well, his face directly in the hanyou's, Miroku glared. With a flourish, he brought his hand up and punched Inuyasha in the jaw. The half-demon crashed to the ground, holding his chin in shaking claws. Miroku stared down at him contemptuously. "I have every right, Inuyasha. Kagome was my friend, too and I loved her dearly. You think you're the only one that took her leaving hard? Do you really think that you're the only one in pain?" He laughed harshly, then knelt and took his companion's face in his hands; the prayer beads clicked quietly together. "Grow up you incompetent fool. Grow up and realize that you're not the only one suffering and join the rest of us in the real world. Kagome wanted us to live, not live to die. But I think you're the only one that doesn't see that. Detestable half-breed. Your idiocy makes me sick."  
  
Inuyasha could feel tears in his eyes but he didn't back down. Glare for glare, the two men stared at each other, neither giving way. Finally, the hanyou turned his face away to wipe away the liquid that pooled in his eyes. Roughly, he said: "If I die, I get to see Kagome again. You can at least understand that, can't you, priest?"  
  
The half-demon flinched as he felt a hand on his shoulder. Miroku sighed. "I never thought I'd see you such a wreck, my friend. Whatever happened to the strong, infallible Inuyasha I knew for so very long?"  
  
"Heh, that's a good question. Where did that bastard go?"  
  
Miroku laughed despite himself. Slowly, he turned to go. "Find him soon, my friend. While in this world, we really need him—he's our friend. And…I'm sure that when you finally do get to see Kagome again, she'll want to welcome that Inuyasha home." And then he was gone.  
  
For a long time, Inuyasha simply sat and stared at the ground, thinking. The priest was right; he wasn't himself at all. Ever since Kagome left, he could feel more and more of himself slipping away. It was as though her presence was a dam and now that she was gone, all the water was rushing away. I won't let the rest of her slip away, though, not anymore. If it means waiting that much longer…then I will wait until the end of time.  
  
Maybe that's what Kagome was trying to tell me in my dream. That pitiful excuse of a boy was nothing like the me she loved…or the me that loved her. Of course she couldn't see me; I wasn't there. Miroku understood that all along. That's why I have to be strong. Otherwise she won't see me. And besides…how could I ever face her if I died a weakling? I have to find my brother and avenge her spirit. Then I can see her again—and she'll be proud of me.  
  
Already feeling better, Inuyasha hopped to his feet. His whole body was sore from the fight and it hurt a bit to move, but he didn't care. He was Inuyasha—what were a few piddly wounds? Then again, Miroku's "advice" hadn't exactly helped his recovery any. But that was besides the point. Inuyasha was strong; he could handle anything. Kagome will be happy to see me when I meet her again. I will not be weak anymore.  
  
So it was with a renewed attitude that the dog-demon sauntered over to where Miroku sat. A fire blazed cheerily, popping and cracking as it consumed more and more of the wood the priest continually tossed to it. Next to him, Shoukaki was staring at the flames. Her face looked pale and washed out in the red glow. Inuyasha grunted and sat down next to them.  
  
Shoukaki gasped, then laughed and clapped her hands. "Inuyasha! I'm so glad you're back!"  
  
The dog-demon just hmphed, eliciting another squeal from the phantom child and a smile from the priest. Miroku looked his hanyou friend over and grinned. "Welcome back, Inuyasha. You've been missed."  
  
"Not really," he remarked, motioning sarcastically toward his jaw. "Where's the runt?"  
  
The ghost-girl blinked, amazed at the dog-demon's sudden change, then motioned toward her back, away from the fire. A shadow moved in the darkness. "He's back there with Big Sister. He was really hurt in the fight, so she's taking care of him."  
  
Inuyasha blinked. "'Big Sister'?"  
  
Miroku nodded. "Sango. She's been traveling with me."  
  
"Ah, the 'friend' you mentioned the other day before this whole mess began. Well, that's good. What happened to the runt, anyhow? I couldn't see."  
  
Shoukaki scrunched up her face in distaste. "The soot-wolf used its fire to make some smaller fire-dart demons and they overwhelmed the little kitsune. He got burned very badly." She grew quiet. "Very, very badly…"  
  
"He'll be fine." She looked up, aghast at how dismissive Inuyasha sounded. The half-demon didn't miss the look and only smiled. "I've known him a very long time. He's stronger than you'd think. And he'll be just fine."  
  
She looked at him skeptically, then smiled and nodded. "I believe you, Inuyasha. Little kitsune will be fine, yes indeed he will. But I'm going to go sit with him anyhow. Have fun you two." And she floated away into the shadows to sit with her injured friend.  
  
When she was gone, Miroku turned to Inuyasha, his eyes questioning. "What made you realize? You're back to yourself—which I am very glad for—but you were so lost…how did you find your way back so quickly?"  
  
Inuyasha hmphed, then shook his head. Now was not the time for the tough guy act. He sighed. "What you said, for one. You were right; I'm not the only one hurting and I'm not the only one that cared for Kagome. I know Shippou cared for her a lot…I didn't realize until now why he got over her leaving so quickly."  
  
Miroku raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "And why is that, my friend?"  
  
The half-breed sat back and stared into the fire with his amber eyes. "He had to because I couldn't. He knew that taking care of me in my state was more important than grieving for Kagome, no matter how much he loved her. Heh, the runt knows far more than you might think he does and he's far more mature than I'll ever be. But don't tell him I said that, I do have a reputation to maintain."  
  
The priest laughed. "Don't worry, my friend, I won't tell him. But continue, please."  
  
For a moment, Inuyasha just watched the flames flicker. Then he spoke quietly: "I had a dream. I was just a weak child in a barren land, holding onto stones like they were jewels and growing angry at everything. I thought I was strong but I wasn't; I was a cowering mess of a creature with no sanity left. And then Kagome found me, lying weak on the ground. She was afraid of me, priest. She said that I wasn't Inuyasha and that she wanted him back. I was weak, she said, and her Inuyasha would never be like me. She loathed me, priest. She cringed away from me and ran as soon as she could, regardless of how I called to her or told her I had longed and waited to see her. I woke up thinking: why? Why can't you see me? And then you came and knocked the rest of it into me." He barked a laugh. "I'm Inuyasha—I can't be weak. So I finally figured it out. And here I am."  
  
Miroku nodded and placed a gentle hand on his companion's shoulder. "I am pleased that you have returned, my friend. And will Kagome be happy to face you when you meet her again?"  
  
Inuyasha smiled. "She won't be able to do anything but."  
  
Off in the shadows, Sango smiled warmly. It had taken a long time, but her silly demon friend had finally figured himself out. Soon, she'd be able to give him the Jewel back.  
  
Soon they would find Kagome.  
  
  
  
Kagome stared balefully at the beautiful creature sitting across from her, drinking tea quietly. How dare he be so regal when he was such an ass? And how dare he not kill her. It wasn't fair to leave her worrying so much over when he'd snuff her out.  
  
They sat on the edge of a far-reaching terrace above the crashing ocean. The setting sun splashed along the surf in vibrant reds and yellows and oranges, interspersed by whitecaps. Seagulls swooped and cried; some dove for fish while others alighted on the craggy beaches. A cold, crisp breeze blew over the two on the balcony as they sat in silence, drinking tea and eating a light meal. Jaken stood in the archway that led into the castle, a watchful shadow standing with him.  
  
For the longest time, Kagome glared from lidded eyes at the demon who was holding her captive. To his credit, Sesshoumaru didn't seem to mind her dark stares at all—or at least he didn't register them. He continued to sip his tea quietly while she sat with hunched shoulders. It was like a form of torture; Kagome was positive he did it only to drive her insane.  
  
I don't understand him, she thought darkly while studying his profile. He's been wanting to kill me for a good two years. Why is it that when he has the chance, he ignores it? The girl tapped the edge of her teacup nervously, then sighed. The suspense is killing me. Why doesn't he say anything?  
  
A seagull landed on the terrace near Kagome's feet and pecked the ground for crumbs. Kagome reached down and sprinkled some crumbs from her plate onto the ground near the bird's beak. It squawked happily and jumped on the crumbs, then took off into the air, prize in hand. Higurashi watched the creature fly away with a little bit of envy. She wished she could just take off and get out of this place. I wish I could see everyone again…I wish I was free and could see everyone again…Inuyasha…  
  
A terrible scream jolted her out of her thoughts. She looked up to see Jaken lowering his staff with a quirky smile on his wrinkled face. Fire licked the lips of the faces embedded in the wood. With a shallow gasp, Kagome looked over toward where the seagull had flown. Feathers wafted in the still air and the smell of burnt flesh lingered all around. Smoke darkened a small patch of sky.  
  
"You little toad!" Leaping up, Kagome readied herself to kick the offensive demon in the head when Sesshoumaru raised his hand to stop her. The girl puffed her cheeks out in anger, but lowered her foot as well. Jaken snickered. When Kagome turned to head back to her seat, she accidentally smacked the toad with the heel of her foot. His grunt made her smile.  
  
Sesshoumaru motioned for Jaken to come closer. The wrinkled demon crept toward the table; Kagome sneered at him. When he was within range, the toad looked up and bowed to his lord. "What would you like, Lord Sesshoumaru?"  
  
The demon lord pointed toward the entrance to the terrace. "Leave now. I am eating and I do not want you to disturb me any longer. Now go."  
  
Toad boy quivered, then hurried away. As he left, Kagome stuck her tongue out at him and "nyah"ed. Sesshoumaru stared blandly at her, then went back to sipping tea. Silence clicked away for the longest time until the girl couldn't take it anymore and jumped up out of her seat. "Why exactly am I here?" He ignored her and drank some more. Twitching, Kagome asked again: "Hello? Why am I here?"  
  
Another sip of tea. This was getting annoying. She leaned over to ask him to his face when Sesshoumaru suddenly set his tea down and stood. Caught off guard, Kagome lost her balance and fell backward, landing on her seat hard, then spilling off the back to land awkwardly on the ground. Well, that was graceful.  
  
Looking up, the human was horrified to see Inuyasha's brother staring down at her with his pale and lethal eyes. Scrambling to her feet, Kagome rearranged her clothes into a semblance of order and calmly took her seat again. She took a sip of her cold tea and did her best not to make a face. Sesshoumaru continued to stare at her, then turned and headed toward the inside of the castle. As he left he said softly: "We will be leaving on a journey tomorrow morning. Have your things ready."  
  
On her feet again, Kagome dashed after the demon lord and skidded to a halt in front of him. He stared down at her. What the hell am I doing, trying to stop Sesshoumaru like this? He could kill me in one swipe…Feeling just a tad bit self-conscious, Kagome stepped back and asked meekly: "Where are we going tomorrow…?" His eyes bored into her skull; she took a step back, then straightened. She wasn't going to cower to this bastard. "I would very much like to know, please. I mean, I will be going, so I think I have the right to know." She blanched when he kept staring. "If you don't mind."  
  
For the longest time, the demon lord kept staring at her. Kagome held her ground, even though her legs were beginning to shake from forcing herself to stand still. She would not show weakness in front of this monster. Inuyasha would be upset if she did.  
  
Finally, Sesshoumaru turned his eyes from her and walked toward the castle. He didn't speak a word and Kagome's questions were left unanswered.  
  
  
  
"Why can't he be like a normal person!?!"  
  
Another pillow soared across the room to smack ineffectually against the far wall. Jaken had long ago come in and taken out anything valuable or breakable. Sesshoumaru didn't seem pleased with his "guest's" etiquette and saw fit to remove the only pleasurable sounding things from her grasp. So she was left with soundless pillows to throw at things instead.  
  
Tired and out of ammunition, Kagome plopped down on her littered floor and poked at the stone. She had yet to pack anything and the sun was setting, but it was so terribly frustrating not knowing why she had to pack in the first place. She hated doing things without knowing why. So she was just going to sit here until she had some answers.  
  
The nerve of some people, not telling you anything. That soooooooooo bothers me. Inuyasha would do it, too. That stupid boy, always wanting to go this way or that. And he never asked how I was feeling…Kagome sighed and buried her face in her arms. Even so…I really miss him. He was kind and sweet and such a good friend. He meant…means…a lot to me. But I wonder if he even wants to see me now? I took away his wish; he must really be upset about that…  
  
And Shippou…I really miss Shippou. He must be really upset, too. I wonder how he's doing? I hope him and Inuyasha aren't at each other's throats. He's probably most upset at me. Does he want to see me after I left them alone like that? I know the Jewel said I'd see them again, but…do they want to see me?  
  
Sighing, Kagome stretched herself out on the floor and stared up at the dark ceiling. She blinked rapidly until her eyes had spots in them. She smiled. She'd pretend the spots were stars and she was outside. Sesshoumaru had had her door locked and the terrace closed off, leaving her stuck in her room until he came to get her in the morning. For which reason he hasn't decided to divulge yet, the bastard. She stared up at her "stars" and huffed. "I really wanna know where we're going tomorrow."  
  
She blinked a few more times, adding to the amount of "stars" on the ceiling. If she squinted, they blurred together and formed images. The first image was a big fluffy cloud. She squinted a little more; the cloud blurred a little more—it looked almost like a head. Kagome giggled and tilted her head to the side. Hmmm, yes, a head. It looked a bit like a head. Keeping her eyes in this position was making them water, but she kept looking. A head…some long hair…Maybe a pair of dog ears…?  
  
Kagome blinked rapidly and sat up, rubbing her eyes to clear away the liquid. She was letting her fantasies run away with her. All she was seeing were light speckles, anyhow. She didn't have to get her imagination going. He probably doesn't even wanna see me, anyhow. I don't care what the Jewel said…I don't think I'll be seeing Inuyasha anytime soon…anytime ever…  
  
There was a knock at the door and scurrying of feet outside in the hall. Quickly, Kagome jumped to her feet and put on her best disgruntled face. It didn't take much, considering her foul mood and her own idiocy from a few moments before. Slowly, the door to her room creaked open and Jaken bumbled in, staff clicking the ground. He had a bag hanging from the wooden heads; it had to be twice his size. With a huff he let the staff tumble to the ground, the bag obstinately staying wrapped around the grotesque male head. Annoyed, the toad yanked the offending pack from his staff. He ended up pulling too hard; both bag and demon rolled across the room to land gracelessly at Kagome's feet.  
  
Smiling down at her archenemy, Kagome picked her foot up and smashed it into Jaken's face. Repeatedly. When she was sure the idiot was unconscious, she leaned over and grabbed the bag from his claw-like hands. Like a whirlwind, she went about the room, grabbing anything and everything she could think of to take with her. She needed to travel light, but smart. She doubted she'd be back here anytime soon.  
  
What incredible luck. That stupid toad just delivered my ticket out of this place! Maybe…maybe the Jewel was right! Maybe I will get to see Inuyasha again soon!  
  
Kagome dropped the last article she felt she'd need into her bag and hoisted it up onto her shoulder. Giving the demon yet another kick or six for good measure, she hurried out of the room, careful to close the door behind her. Every second she could earn was a second closer to getting out of this cursed castle. Hahahaha…so much for going anywhere with Fluffy tomorrow. And serves him right anyhow, not telling me where we're going. I'll set off on my own path, on my own.  
  
Behind her, a shadow detached itself from the wall and scurried away in the opposite direction.  
  
Traveling quickly to avoid detection, Kagome headed in the general direction of the main door. She knew roughly where to go, as Sesshoumaru had made Jaken give her a tour shortly after she'd woken up in his home. He said it was: "Only proper that the woman of my brother be shown about his father's home." She didn't quite understand that, as Inuyasha hated his brother and his brother he. Neither one really admitted to having the same father and Sesshoumaru was definitely one to discredit his brother at every turn. He's just full of surprises lately, isn't he? First he keeps me alive, then he treats me like an honored guest. Of his brother's, no less. What is that bastard up to?  
  
The hallways were dark and badly lit, but Kagome found it fairly easy to traverse. The human had none of the senses her demon companions (or captors) possessed, but even so she could carry her own in a dark passageway. "Ow! Damnit…" Well, for the most part. Even the most skilled human could still stub her toe on stone flooring with no light available.  
  
After what seemed an eternity, light began flooding the corridor. With far more caution, Kagome trekked quietly along the hallways, keeping close to the walls and stopping often. Jaken had to have awoken by now; there were probably guards everywhere. And she was so close to the end that she didn't dare mess up now. The light was steadily getting brighter. I'm almost there…Just a little farther.  
  
"Hello again, woman of my brother. I am pleased to see that you are ready to go."  
  
Kagome stopped in her tracks and slowly turned around. Sesshoumaru stood, tall and foreboding, in the moonlight that washed the corridor's walls. Behind him stood Jaken, a giant bruise on his face and a bump on his head. He scowled at his archenemy but didn't speak. Next to him, Kagome could have sworn she'd seen a shadow move.  
  
Backing away slowly, the human smiled and giggled nervously. "Heheheh… Sesshoumaru…I was just leaving…" As fast as she could, Kagome turned on her heel to run. Before she could take one step, however, she felt a strong hand grab her arm. With a cry she was knocked to her knees; she looked up to see her assailant, but no one was there. That same invisible keeper spun her around—her knees got cut against the cold stones in the process—to look at Sesshoumaru, standing a few feet away. The demon lord didn't even look at her.  
  
"Come, Jaken. Grab the girl and take her outside. We leave now to kill my brother."  
  
Inuyasha?! Kagome stared after her captor as he slowly walked past her and out into the light. We're going to kill Inuyasha?!?  
  
"NO!" 


	5. A Brief Morning Prelude

Blaaaaaaaah. I give myself a week per chapter, and I can never stick to it. Life loves getting in the way of schedules. So does college and summer. But ah well, life goes on, yes?  
  
Anyhow, I actually have two chapters planned for the next update. One of them isn't really a chapter, per se, however. It's going to be more of an aside. Read it if you want, but it isn't pertinent to the story line. But that's just to give you an idea of what I have planned. I was going to put it up this time, but, well…yeah, that whole life thing.  
  
Please enjoy. As always, I'm open to suggestions. And I love to hear what those of you who read this want to see/read. Thank you all for reading.  
  
  
  
Where Lost Souls Meet Again  
  
Chapter Five: A Brief Morning Prelude  
  
  
  
Shippou napped quietly as Sango made lunch. The others were off foraging while she took care of the little kitsune. He'd been resting for the past two days and his injuries were far better than they had been previously, but she was still worried. He'd been badly burned and beaten and no amount of demon healing was going to put him in tip-top shape in just a couple of days.  
  
Taking a seat near the fox-demon, the hunter took a deep sigh and stretched out on the ground. It had been a while since she'd done so. For the past eight months, ever since Kagome disappeared, Sango and Miroku had wandered the land, looking for the last straggling demons, carrying the Shikon Jewel with them always. Losing Kagome had driven Inuyasha to near insanity; so much so that he could barely function. It was Shippou that suggested the demon hunter and the priest head out with the Jewel and destroy any violent youkai they found.  
  
"What are you thinking about, Sango?"  
  
Her thoughts broken by the kitsune's question, Sango shook her head to clear it and turned to face him. Shippou was sitting up, a wad of blankets in his lap. His eyes were lidded and puffy from sleep and his ears twitched as though he were still caught up in a dream. It was almost painful to look at his body, patched as it was from the terrible burns he'd suffered. Sango scurried to her feet and over to the pot of water she was boiling. Careful not to burn herself, she poured a cup of tea and handed it to her young friend.  
  
Shippou smiled happily and took the cup. "Careful." He nodded but flinched at the heat. Carefully, the boy set it down next to him, then looked up at Sango expectantly.  
  
"Where are they others?"  
  
The demon hunter settled down next to the fox-demon, wrapping her legs in slender arms. She smiled as she replied: "They went looking for some food while I stayed here with you."  
  
"Oh." Shippou's head dipped low and Sango could almost swear she heard him sniffle. Leaning over and grabbing him in her arms, she pulled the kitsune close and hugged him tightly. He sat stiffly in her arms at first, then snuggled up against her. "I'm sorry I cause so much trouble."  
  
"Oh, Shippou, no no, don't you ever think that. You don't cause trouble at all." Holding him close, Sango stroked his head lightly with her fingers and rocked back and forth. "You were very very brave to take on all those fire-darts on your own and you helped Inuyasha a lot these past months. You aren't any trouble at all, little one. Don't ever think you are." She pulled him around and sat him in front of her, where she could see his face. With gentle hands she wiped his eyes. "Besides, they were getting in the way. Those two boys, always underfoot. It was good to get them out and about and doing something useful." The demon hunter winked and smiled; Shippou sniffled, then giggled. Her good mood was just too much to dismiss.  
  
Calm now, the kitsune crawled back over to his drink and took a sip. He smiled. "This is good, Sango."  
  
Said woman thanked him and got up to make herself a cup. "I'm glad you like it, Shippou. I just wish Miroku would say the same. He always gripes about my cooking."  
  
Setting his cup down, Shippou looked up at her, startled. "Why would he say that?"  
  
She shrugged. "To tease me, I would guess. He seems rather fond of seeing me squirm."  
  
Nodding, Shippou sat back down; Sango joined him. They took a sip of tea. "Ah."  
  
The kitsune giggled. "So," he said finally, "what were you thinking about when I woke up?"  
  
Nearby, a deer poked its head out from some underbrush. On silent hooves she made her way out from the bracken and across a small clearing to a miniature pond. Behind her trailed a fawn, his legs gangly and stiff. He stumbled as he hurried after her, tripping over his own hooves more than once. Sango smiled as she watched them, then turned back to Shippou, who was taking another sip of tea. "I was just thinking about the past."  
  
When he made no move to speak, Sango sighed and lay back down again on the soft grass. The sky was a beautiful blue today, with few clouds marring the surface. She almost wished she could lose herself in them. "Do you remember the day Kagome left, Shippou?"  
  
For the longest time he didn't answer and Sango thought that perhaps he'd fallen back asleep. When she turned her head to check, however, it was to see the kitsune staring up at the sky, just like her. His burnt face and body looked so harsh, juxtaposed against the unblemished heavens. His ears twitched briefly and he closed his eyes. "Yeah…I remember. I don't like to, though. I miss Kagome a lot."  
  
Sango could understand. They all missed her a lot. "You've done a great job handling it though, little one. You even grew up to help Inuyasha through it. And yourself, I would suppose. I'm proud of you." He didn't respond, but the hunter knew he was listening. "But you're right, it does hurt to think about. And yet I find myself going back to it a lot. Maybe it's because I've carried the Shikon Jewel with me all this time and so it keeps drawing me back…but I rewind that day a lot in my mind."  
  
A flock of birds drifted by overhead. By the pond, the deer startled and disappeared back into the undergrowth. "Sango…why did you take the Shikon Jewel?"  
  
She shrugged, not that he could see it. "Someone had to and you had your hands full with Inuyasha. I don't know why it was left behind, but it must have been important, because there it was, lying on the ground where Kagome had stood. And if one of us hadn't taken it…well, Sesshoumaru might have found it. And that's the last thing Kagome would ever have wanted."  
  
"I don't understand why we didn't just kill him right then, anyhow." Shippou sat up and looked over at his companion, his eyes furrowed and dark. "He's the reason Kagome went away. We should have just killed him while he lay unconscious on the ground."  
  
Sango shook her head. "None of us could do that, Shippou, you know that."  
  
The kitsune stared at her balefully, then shook his head. "But he deserved to die!" Tears ran down his cheeks, matting the patched fur. "He's the reason Kagome went away, so he deserves to die!"  
  
Getting up herself, Sango crawled over and once again took the little kitsune into her arms. She shushed him for a long time before whispering: "No one there was strong enough to kill him, though, Shippou. You know we couldn't have done it. And you know that killing someone who is defenseless—even Sesshoumaru—well…Kagome would never want that. None of us could do it."  
  
Shippou sniffled. "But he took Kagome away…"  
  
"I know, little one. I know." Poor Shippou…he may act adult and look older, but he's just as hurt as the rest of us. And he's still a child, even if he acts like he isn't anymore. Poor child…poor little child…  
  
Just then the undergrowth parted and two whooping figures came running through. On their shoulders they carried the largest pig Sango had ever seen, along with a little girl who was giggling and whooping along with them. Sango and Shippou were forced to scurry out of the way lest they be crushed as the boys dropped their kill to the ground.  
  
Miroku grinned and put a foot triumphantly on the kill. "Dear, we bring dinner—and many subsequent dinners—home! Cook away, dear woman, cook away!"  
  
Inuyasha, also with a foot positioned on the carcass, seconded the cheer. "Cook us some food, Sango, we're hungry and willing to eat!"  
  
Even Shoukaki jumped up on the pig and took a pose. In her higher, childish voice she said: "Cook it yourselves, silly boys!" And proceeded to beat them on the head. Miroku and Inuyasha shielded themselves fearfully from her pitiful blows and ran around in mock terror. Sango rolled around, laughing. She'd not seen Inuyasha act like this before. The girl brought out a side of him that even Kagome couldn't.  
  
After a while, the group calmed down enough to get to work cooking their catch. Inuyasha grudgingly agreed to help skin the beast, but refused any other form of work. Not that Sango expected much else out of him. So the half demon sat with Shippou just slightly out of the way while Miroku, Shoukaki and Sango cut the meat up and prepared it. They didn't have any salt, so everything had to be cooked that night. But it would last a few days, at least, and between the four—five, if Shoukaki could in fact eat during the day—they could easily finish that off.  
  
The smell of roasting pig wafted through the air to where Shippou and Inuyasha sat, lounging sleepily beneath a tree. Shippou was wrapped up in several blankets to keep warm, while Inuyasha draped his overcoat across the both of them. The sky was already darkening into dusk and a couple of stars were blinking their way into existence. Inuyasha stared up at them, lost in thought, while the kitsune slowly drifted off to sleep.  
  
I wonder…is Kagome somewhere up there…? She used to love looking at the stars on nights like this. Was she looking for someone? Next to him, Shippou stirred, then scrunched up close to Inuyasha's leg. The dog-demon rolled his eyes as the kitsune whimpered and twitched in his sleep.  
  
Over by the fire, Miroku was laughing and dancing around. Shoukaki sat on his shoulders, giggling loudly and holding onto the priest's hair so that she didn't fall. Sango just shook her head and finished slicing up the slab of meat she'd set aside for dinner. The rest roasted slowly over a small fire.  
  
The demon hunter wiped her hands on Miroku's robes, then waved for Inuyasha to come over and get his food. Careful not to wake Shippou, the half-demon walked over to where the others assembled around the fire and plopped down on the ground. The smell was wonderful and he couldn't help but show interest.  
  
Sango grinned and spread her hands wide. "Have fun, boys."  
  
Both Miroku and Inuyasha sprang for the food immediately, only to have Sango smack them in the head for their trouble. "Oops, sorry, I forgot to grab Shippou's portion first." Ignoring the two boys' protesting looks, the woman sliced off a fairly large piece of roast and wrapped it in a handkerchief. She stepped back. "Okay, now you may stuff yourselves."  
  
In unison, the monk and the half-demon sprang on the food. Sango turned away from them and headed over toward where Shippou lay sleeping under the tree. Behind her she could hear her friends arguing over who got what piece and in general making loud, raucous noise. Shoukaki was laughing.  
  
Shippou had wrapped himself up in the several layers of blanket that the others had given him and was snoring loudly for such a small body. Taking a seat beside him, Sango opened her kerchief and carefully sliced off a small piece of meat. This she held out under the kitsune's nose.  
  
For a while nothing happened. Then Shippou's nose began to twitch. After a few more moments of nothing, the kitsune suddenly opened his mouth and grabbed the offered piece of meat. He never opened his eyes. When he was done chewing, he peeked a look at Sango and grinned. He opened his mouth. "More please."  
  
She laughed and cut him another piece. The boy ate this one slower and with a little more care. Sango cut herself a piece as well and chewed thoughtfully. When Shippou was finished, he opened his mouth again and asked: "More, please?"  
  
So it went for a while, Sango feeding her wounded demon companion and sneaking bites herself when she could. After about the third bite, Shippou wriggled his way out of the blankets and sat up next to his friend. Together they watched Miroku and Inuyasha goof off by the fire and listened to Shoukaki laugh at everything they did. Right now the two were fighting over the last scrap of meat.  
  
"It's mine, priest! I'm the one that does most of the fighting, so I should get the bigger share. Besides, I was injured." Inuyasha made a face and acted like he was hurt, then made a swipe for the food. Miroku bopped him on the head with his staff.  
  
"That's foolishness, my friend. I am a humble monk who fights against the evil power of the demons that curse this land. I am in need of this food, so that I may continue my holy task." And he promptly grabbed for the meat. Just a quickly Inuyasha kicked him in the shin.  
  
"The food is mine!"  
  
"No, it is mine!"  
  
"Mine!"  
  
"Mine!"  
  
The two glared at one another over the quietly sitting piece of pig while Shoukaki rolled on the ground in hysterics. Sango smiled as she watched them, then leaned over and whispered to Shippou: "Are you still hungry, little one?"  
  
Nodding eagerly, the kitsune grinned and winked at Sango. She smiled back, then waited. Over by the fire, Shoukaki was slowly calming down. The phantom girl rubbed her eyes to clear away the tears and looked over to where Sango and Shippou sat. Sango waved the girl over. Curious, the child skipped over to where the other two sat; when she reached them she plopped herself down on the ground, blinking.  
  
Sango and Shippou gave each other innocent looks, then leaned in close and began whispering in Shoukaki's ear. The little girl grinned then fell backward laughing.  
  
Miroku and Inuyasha were still at it by the time Shoukaki finally made her way back over to the fire. The two boys were leaning over the fire pit where the meat was sitting, cooling in the rapidly approaching night air. While they glared at one another, shooting daggers with their eyes, the phantom girl crawled between their legs and snatched the last of the meat up. Nonchalantly, she crawled back out from underneath them and skipped off into the shadows, leaving the priest and the dog-demon to glare over nothing.  
  
Sango and Shippou lost themselves in laughter and couldn't eat for another ten minutes. By then, the boys had realized their food was gone but there was little they could do about it. So they simply pouted by the fire and glared daggers at their friends as the sun finally set and the last of the stars peeked out from beneath the velvety night blanket.  
  
  
  
Morning dawned lazily over the sleeping companions. Miroku was already awake and busily stoking a fire to greet the others when they awoke. Inuyasha grunted noisily and made shooing motions with his hands in the general direction of the sun, then went back to sleep, nestled comfortably in the crook of his tree. Sango buried her face into the blankets she shared with Shippou and made no move to get up. The kitsune snored on, oblivious to the break of day.  
  
Nearby, Shoukaki was humming quietly, playing in a patch of flowers near the edge of the small clearing they'd set up camp in. The song she hummed was very pretty and Miroku walked over to her to listen a little better. The girl kept on, unaware of his nearness, until the priest had to sneeze and broke the moment.  
  
Startled, the ghost-girl spun around. Miroku grinned at her sheepishly, then took a seat beside his friend. She smiled, then went back to humming and playing with the flowers. She was tying them together in long strands, the stems intricately knotted. She'd even woven in some tiny, shiny stones.  
  
Miroku listened silently and watched the little girl work. A cricket played along for a little while, then went silent. Some rustling in the undergrowth grabbed his attention momentarily; Shoukaki didn't even register it. She hummed on, completely independent of the rest of the world around her, focusing on the small, delicate flowers she cupped gracefully in her hands. The priest marveled at her concentration and smiled warmly. She was a sweet child.  
  
She's also a ghost, he reminded himself, albeit with some sadness. The poor creature, trapped between planes. Somehow…she reminds me of Kikyou. She doesn't belong here but she can't move on. I'm just glad this tiny child isn't as sad as the priestess. Shoukaki's tragedy is more than enough—I don't think she needs to be a vengeful spirit, as well.  
  
As though she could sense him thinking about her, the phantom stopped her twining and looked up at the monk who sat beside her. She tilted her head off to the side in wonder. "What are you thinking about, Big Brother?"  
  
A little startled, the priest sighed, then shrugged. "Just some things, little one. May I ask what you're making?"  
  
Shoukaki nodded enthusiastically and held up the string of flowers she'd woven. Now that he could see it better, Miroku realized that his friend hadn't been simply tying a long strand; there were loops and smaller circular designs knitted in, too. It was quite beautiful. Shoukaki smiled in pleasure. "Do you like it?"  
  
Miroku nodded. "What is it, exactly?"  
  
The girl blinked, then looked at her work. It was obvious, wasn't it? She bit her lip and looked at it really closely. She thought it was fairly obvious… "It's an ornament for Big Sister to wear…"  
  
Feeling foolish, Miroku took Shoukaki's hands in his and squeezed them. "Forgive me, little one. I should have known immediately from looking at it. It is very beautifully made and I am sure that Big Sister will love it dearly. Is there any particular reason you made it for her?"  
  
Encouraged by his praise, the ghost-girl nodded again. "Because Big Sister is very pretty and I wanted to give her something that will make her even prettier, because she doesn't really have any jewelry. My Mommy was a very pretty woman and she said that flowers made her look prettiest, so I made this for Big Sister to put in her hair, since flowers will make her look prettiest, just like Mommy told me." She grinned triumphantly. "I want Big Sister to look prettiest of all, because I love her and want her to be as pretty as my Mommy."  
  
Miroku smiled. "I am sure that she will look prettiest of all when she wears the flowers you have made for her, little one." With a polite nod and an almost childish gesture, the monk reached for the flower strand. Shoukaki placed it gently in his open palms, then sat back and watched as he examined it. It really was a wonderfully crafted piece. Handing it back to its owner, the monk sighed. "Yes, Big Sister will look prettiest of all when she wears the flowers you made her."  
  
For his words the priest got a hug and kiss from his "little sister." Then the girl sat back and looked at him quizzically. Miroku looked right back at her, a little curious as to why she was staring at him. She fingered the flower chain between her tiny fingers, twisting it and molding it to her palm, then stretching it back out again. Finally, after a long time of just staring at him and playing with her creation, she blinked and asked: "Does Big Sister have any pretty things?"  
  
The priest blinked. "Pretty…things….?"  
  
Shoukaki nodded. "Pretty things, like jewelry or beads, ribbons. Flowers, like these?" She held up her creation for him to admire, then set it back down in her lap again. "She's so pretty, I was just wondering. All the pretty ladies from my village had something they wore. Does Big Sister?"  
  
Finally understanding, Miroku shook his head no. "She's a demon hunter and so she doesn't care so much for jewelry or pretty things. At least not to wear around with her all the time. I guess she feels she has more important things to do with her time. Why do you ask?"  
  
The phantom child shrugged and studied her flower strand. "I just wanted to know. I wanted to make sure that I could give her something special." The child sighed, then looked at the monk again. He leaned forward inquizzitively. "The jewel that she carries around with her…is that also hers? Because my flowers…I don't think she'd like them as much when compared to that…It reminds me of the pretty jewel that Inuyasha was holding in his heart…"  
  
"Inuyasha has a Jewel?"  
  
Shoukaki stared at him like he was stupid. "No," she finally got out, "he doesn't have one. It was in his heart." Miroku nodded, but he didn't really understand. His friend laughed at him and tried to explain. "Since I'm a ghost, I can…see…things that others can't. That includes inside people. I can see inside their heart. I went into Inuyasha's once. He was really little and he had a jewel that he kept close to him. It was really pretty and it reminded me of Big Sister's jewel. That's why I mentioned it."  
  
"Ah, I see." Miroku sat back and took a moment to stare at the clear morning sky. It was very very beautiful and calming to gaze at. Looking helped him ignore the fact that they were searching for a demon—the worst demon of all. Naraku was dead, but Sesshoumaru was still alive. Between the two, Miroku felt more fear toward Inuyasha's brother than toward his ancient nemesis. Naraku was hated, that was all.  
  
We're fighting such cruel creatures and yet we bring a child with us. Even though I know she's dead, looking at her, speaking with her…being able to touch her makes me cringe when I think about what we must be putting her through. Does she even know the whole story? Does she want to? Miroku dropped his gaze and glanced at Shoukaki from the corner of his eye. She had gone back to adding more flowers to the strand she'd already made, increasing the loops and whirls among the stems. Just because she's dead does not mean she's not innocent. Does she want to see the horrors that we're sure to face?  
  
The girl must have heard his thoughts, because she stopped what she was doing and turned her attention on him. "What are you thinking, Big Brother?"  
  
Startled from his thoughts, the priest shook himself. Solemnly, he turned his full gaze on his small companion. She blinked at his expression, but said nothing. After a short pause, he finally asked: "Little one, do you really want to travel with us? We are fighting frightening demons, we could all die, or be hurt. Do you really want to travel with us?"  
  
The only look he received was confusion. He cleared his throat and tried again. "I know that you've seen a lot of terrible acts in your life and that you're burdened with sadness from the past…do you want to possibly add to that? Inuyasha and Shippou are your friends; do you want to possibly see them hurt?"  
  
Silence. Then: "I love Inuyasha and the little kitsune. And I also love Big Brother and Big Sister. If I didn't follow and travel with you, I'd be sad because I lost the family that I love. That would make me saddest of all, if I lost my family that I love so very very much. So I'm going to go along and protect you as best I can, because I love you all." She paused, then laughed quietly. "And who better to protect you than one that can't die, right?"  
  
Miroku's gaze softened and he leaned forward to enfold the child in his arms. She hugged him tight, the flower garland clutched tightly in her hands. It was like this that the two were found by a stretching, yawning Sango.  
  
"G'morning, you two."  
  
Shoukaki heard the demon hunter first and jumped up to greet her. With a squeal she wrapped her small arms around her friend's slim waist. Startled, Sango took a step back, then smiled warmly and let her arms drape loosely over the little phantom. Cooing happily, Shoukaki just held on to her big sister tight, grinning broadly.  
  
After the longest time in that embrace (for which Miroku, though he loved the little girl dearly, was becoming sorely jealous), Shoukaki stepped back and proudly offered up her flower garland. Sango looked at it momentarily, then with a big "Aww, for me?" she accepted the proffered piece of jewelry and set it on her head gently. Giggling like a child, the hunter twirled around, showing off her new adornment for all who were there—all being the one who made it and the one whom loved the woman that wore it.  
  
Clapping and giggling along, Shoukaki turned to Miroku. "You're right, Big Brother. Big Sister did like it best!"  
  
Miroku nodded his acquiescence as the two girls danced in the morning sun for a little bit longer.  
  
When they'd finally exhausted themselves, the two ladies sat back down; Sango was breathing heavily but glowed with a rich, warm light. Miroku had rarely seen her so happy and was incredibly grateful to his small ghost friend for making the love of his life so happy. Being the ghost that she was, little Shoukaki showed no signs of exertion at all. Instead she was a bundle of energy, laughing and smiling and having a wonderful time.  
  
Still wearing her flowers, Sango pulled the phantom closer to her for another hug. She held the girl close as she asked: "You made such a beautiful thing, just for me, little one?" Shoukaki nodded. "Whatever for?"  
  
Giddy with the pleasure of seeing her gift bring happiness, Shoukaki tripped over her words as she rattled them off. "Well, I love Big Sister a lot and I wanted her to look prettiest, just like my mommy, and Mommy said that she looked prettiest of all when she wore flowers so since you're pretty like my mommy I wanted to give you flowers to make you prettiest of all!" She took a deep breath. "I never see you wearing any pretty things, like the girls in my village did, so I wanted to give you one. All you have is that Jewel but Big Brother said that you don't have that to look pretty. Why do you carry around that Jewel, Big Sister?"  
  
For a moment, Sango sat thinking. Then she replied: "I carry it because Inuyasha couldn't. But I have to give it back to him soon, because it really is his. For whatever reason, it didn't disappear with Kagome like it should have. So I think it was left behind for him.  
  
"When Kagome disappeared, Inuyasha was really destroyed. He didn't talk for two weeks; he didn't eat for even longer. For three days he didn't move from the spot where Kagome had disappeared from—he didn't even shift his weight. He just held the jewel and stared off into space. He didn't even try to kill his brother, who lay unconscious on the ground for a day and a half. He just…sat.  
  
"So when the time came for us to part ways, I told Shippou that I would take the Jewel and safeguard it with Miroku, while the kitsune helped Inuyasha heal. And I've been carrying the Jewel ever since, waiting for the day that Inuyasha recovered from his loss and could protect it like he always has. It is his, after all."  
  
There was a rustling in the nearby brush. With lightning quickness, both Miroku and Sango were on their feet, weapons drawn. From where he was sleeping, Inuyasha suddenly sat up, his eyes lidded and a growl escaping his lips. Slowly, purposefully, he drew Tetsusaiga from its sheath and stood. The sword glinted in the morning light with a red pallor. He readied it as the brush parted.  
  
Tetsusaiga slipped from his stiff fingers as the morning sun glided across the parting undergrowth and the pale, frightened face of Kagome.  
  
"Inuyasha…"  
  
Without a word, the dog-demon lunged toward his love, the months of loneliness draining away with each step. He opened his arms to embrace her.  
  
There was a sickening thud and Inuyasha fell to the ground, an arrow embedded in his side. Kagome screamed and reached out for him, only to have Sessshoumaru grab her arm and hold her back. He turned his golden eyes on Sango and Miroku as his brother hit the dew-sodden earth.  
  
"I've come to reclaim what's mine. Give me the Shikon Jewel."  
  
Miroku and Sango only readied their weapons as they prepared for battle. 


	6. And Having Once Turned Round Walks On

I'm going to say it now, just to get it out of the way. You people are probably going to hate me. But I did say this was going to be a dark fic in the beginning and even I'm not so evil as to keep it up forever. So please, no killing.  
  
I'm trying something different in this chapter. I'm so sick of not being able to differentiate when someone talks as opposed to thinks as opposed to narration. I should have fixed it long ago but I was just hoping it would go away. ^-^x Anyhow, all thoughts from here on out will look something like this: 'I am a thought' as opposed to speaking "I am speaking to you." I hope it hasn't been terribly confusing up till now. Maybe I'll go back and fix it…  
  
This is chapter six and I really wanna thank those of you who have been reading along. I know I'm grateful for your reading, but I don't think I've ever come right out and thanked you all. I'm so appreciative of the fact that you read and enjoy my story, that you put up with all the hellish things I do to the characters. I'm an evil person, I know, but…thank you all for sticking with me regardless. It means so much to have you with me, because without people to read it, there would be no reason to write. You all make me so happy and I want to thank you individually, but…there's so many of you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you thank you thank you.  
  
Chapter six pretty much ends part one of this story. I was only planning on having two parts, so…yay! We're halfway there. And I PROMISE I won't keep being so mean. I mean, I can't stand the suspense. Well…please enjoy. And thank you all, again. I can't thank you enough.  
  
  
  
Where Lost Souls Meet Again  
  
Chapter Six: And Having Once Turned Round Walks On  
  
  
  
  
  
Silence permeated the air as human faced demon. Lying face down between them, an arrow protruding from his ribs, blood running in the grass, was Inuyasha. His eyes were closed in pain and he clawed at the earth; clods of grass and dirt came up with each dig, his nails growing black from the soil. Behind Sesshoumaru, Kagome struggled to reach the half-breed on the ground.  
  
Expressionless, Sesshoumaru asked again: "Give me the Shikon Jewel."  
  
From the space between them, Inuyasha barked a laugh. "You think…we'll just give…you…the Jewel? Heh…idiot…" He stopped, his body racked by coughs; blood dripped from his mouth. When the spasm passed, he continued: "I'll…kill you…Sesshoumaru…before I ever give…you the Jewel…" With obvious pain, the half-breed turned his head so that he could see Kagome. He smiled. "You're alive…Kagome…"  
  
"Inuyasha…"  
  
Bored, the demon lord took a step forward. "I will not ask again. Now give me what is mine."  
  
Sango crouched low, one hand resting lightly on her boomerang. She glared at the demon, then sneered: "No way."  
  
Miroku nodded in agreement, his staff out and ready. His eyes were nothing more than cold slits. "We will not give you the Jewel, Sesshoumaru."  
  
Standing off to the side, Shoukaki bit her lip, worried. Sesshoumaru was a powerful demon, she could sense that easily; he'd also been able to wound Inuyasha with only a bow. She had the feeling that even Miroku and Sango couldn't fight off this monster. She gasped. What about Shippou? The little kitsune was already hurt badly…he wouldn't stand a chance against Inuyasha's brother.  
  
'What'll I do? I can fight, but…will I help any? Sesshoumaru is really strong—far stronger than that soot-wolf. What can I do?' She paused. 'Wait a minute…that soot-wolf…it was made up of the souls of dead demons. Only someone very very powerful could bring it into existence…' Her eyes drifted up until they met with the demon lord's and she cringed. 'Someone very powerful indeed'.  
  
Taking another advancing step, Sesshoumaru held out a slim, beautiful hand; it crackled with lightning. His eyes bored holes through the three humans across the way. Even Shoukaki, who was only a spirit, could feel the venom in his gaze and couldn't help but take a step back. She shuddered. So much power was stored in that creature that it was almost unthinkable that they could beat him. How would any of them survive this?  
  
Miroku and Sango must have been thinking the same thing as she, but they never lost their nerve. The two humans faced their foe with deadly looks and held their ground. Sango stood, the grip on her boomerang tight enough to make the knuckles white. "How did you find us?"  
  
Sesshoumaru almost smiled. His claws flexed as he took another frightening step forward. He was almost to Inuyasha now. "My demons are very good trackers."  
  
Sango growled: "Don't play word games, demon!"  
  
"He means," Shoukaki said sharply, "that the soot-wolf we fought was raised by his magic and that our fight tipped off our location."  
  
The demon blinked, taken aback slightly by the child's knowledge. "Quite." His advancing stopped as he looked the phantom girl over. "You…I have never seen before. Where do you come from?"  
  
Shoukaki gulped. "Nowhere…"  
  
Before she could even react, the demon was beside her, his claws gripping her chin as he lifted her face to his. His eyes were frightfully cold. "Come now, little human whelp. You must come from somewhere, else my half-breed of a brother never would have found you. You can tell this Sesshoumaru."  
  
Shaking, the girl licked her lips and gasped out: "Nowhere."  
  
His eyes morphed to slits; with a flick, he tossed her aside. Shoukaki landed hard near Sango. "Enough games. Give me the Jewel or I will kill you all."  
  
"That isn't much of a choice," Sango said softly, her boomerang in a throwing position. "You'd kill us whether we gave you the Shikon Jewel or not." She smiled. "So I say you earn it!" And with that she flung her weapon at him and the battle began.  
  
Miroku lunged forward with lightening speed, swinging his staff hard. It connected with Sesshoumaru's raised arm just as Sango's boomerang came soaring in, aimed at the demon's white-haired head. Inuyasha's brother dodged the flying weapon easily as he parried the monk's staff with his forearm and claws. His tail whipped out and smashed into the boomerang as it returned to its owner, spinning it off course and into Sango's side hard. The demon hunter screamed and fell to the ground, clutching her broken arm.  
  
Enraged, Miroku swung again, harder this time. Again, Sesshoumaru parried the blow. As Miroku recovered from the parry, the demon brought his other hand around; claws wrapped around the priest's neck and lifted him off the ground. The monk dropped his staff and scrabbled at his foe's gripping fingers, trying his best to leverage them off so that he could breath. Sesshoumaru only tightened his hold; the sound of them pressing into Miroku's neck was sickening.  
  
Shoukaki stared on in horror as the priest was slowly strangled. This was so familiar… 'It's happening again…It's all happening again!' She clutched her head and fought off the painful memories. Miroku struggled on; Sango had long since gone silent, her screams echoing distantly. 'This is just like that time…Mommy…Papa…This is just like then!' The phantom girl fell to her knees and began smashing her head against the ground, trying her best to drive away the memories. 'So much killing…it's like that time. Big Brother, Big Sister…Papa, Mommy…  
  
'I don't want to see this again! Mommy…Big Sister, Papa…Big Brother…It's the same! I don't want to see this again!' "No…not again…" Even as she bashed her head and tried her best to ignore what was happening, Shoukaki began to glow. Beneath her closed lids her eyes clouded and turned black; black cords coalesced around her arms and snaked across her waist; a thin silver wire tightened around her neck. "No more. No more!" In a burst of power, the girl threw her head back and screamed.  
  
Sesshoumaru paused in his choking of the priest to see where the scream had come from. Shoukaki had crawled back to her feet and was staring listlessly at the demon lord. Her cords slithered slowly around her limbs. Interested, he let the monk drop from his fingers; Miroku landed hard on the ground, gasping and holding his neck. The demon paid him no attention as he advanced on the phantom.  
  
The child glared at him as he approached, her black eyes dull. "No more. I won't let you hurt my mommy and papa anymore!"  
  
Amused, Sesshoumaru lifted a curious eyebrow. "Parents…? You are far more than just these weakling humans' whelp. Would you care to tell me who you are now?"  
  
She ignored him, her thoughts lost in the past. She wasn't even aware of whom she was fighting anymore. Instead of an advancing demon lord, she saw only roughly clad thieves and bandits. Behind him lay her mother and father, dead. Tears slid slowly down Shoukaki's cheeks. "Mommy…Papa…I won't let you hurt them anymore! No more!"  
  
With that, the ghost threw herself forward, arms outstretched. Like fingers, her cords extended and whipped about at her command, hurling themselves at Sesshoumaru. He countered them all easily, his claws ready. More cords shot his way, weaving about him desperately, trying to get a hit. Shoukaki continued to advance, commanding her ropes as she went. Sesshoumaru continued to walk toward her.  
  
Miroku crawled slowly along the ground, panting horribly. His throat was terribly sore, but right then he didn't care. Sango lay on the ground, clutching her wounded arm and sobbing quietly into the grass. When he was close enough, he reached out and took her hand in his. She whimpered, but shifted a little closer to him. He sighed and let himself collapse fully into the grass. He could only wonder what was going to happen next. What was happening with Inuyasha and Kagome, away from them all? 'Be careful, my friend. I wish you luck…little one…'  
  
When they were within a short distance of one another, Shoukaki recalled her cords just as suddenly as she'd sent them out. Her foe continued his assault, unmoved by her apparent retreat. She waited. Sesshoumaru took another step forward—he was just within range of her now. Screaming like a fiend, Shoukaki threw herself bodily at the demon. Indifferent to her sudden physical assault, the youkai nonchalantly moved to bat her body away. As his arms moved outward to connect with her, the ghost's black cords reappeared. Without his arms to block them, Sesshoumaru was caught off guard; a cord slashed across his chest and another grabbed his legs. His claws connected with Shoukaki as her ropes brought him down to the ground.  
  
  
  
Away from the fighting, still lying in the damp grass, Inuyasha struggled to get up. Every time he moved, the arrow in his side throbbed and brought him down again. Pain lanced through his body with even the most minimal of movements. 'Shit…what's happening? How could an arrow do this to me?'  
  
"Inuyasha!"  
  
He looked up to see Kagome running toward him. Kagome. Her face was streaked with tears and her lips trembled, but she was still the most beautiful creature in the world. In any world, as far as the dog-demon was concerned. He tried to lift himself up but only felt excruciating pain for his efforts—he collapsed back down. His face was once again in the grass as the girl skidded to a halt and knelt down beside him.  
  
With gentle hands, Kagome reached down and lifted the half-demon from the ground. She cradled him in her lap and smoothed his damp hair as he cried out from the pain of being moved. "Inuyasha…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you…" She felt across his face and through his locks; she rubbed his puppy ears and tenderly touched his lips and eyes. "Gods, I've missed you so, Inuyasha."  
  
The dog-demon reached up and touched his love's cheek, doing his best to ignore the lancing pain that tore through him as he did so. Smiling behind her tears, she tilted her head into his palm and nuzzled his fingers. "Kagome…it's really you. You've been alive…all this time. Why…why didn't you…why didn't you return to me…?"  
  
Crying, she held him close. "I couldn't, Inuyasha. I'm so sorry…I couldn't get to you."  
  
Inuyasha nodded, then turned his head toward where his brother was fighting the others. Sesshoumaru had Miroku by the neck and was choking him slowly. 'Damnit! This damned arrow won't let me get up! I need to help them…they can't beat Sesshoumaru without me, that bastard. How the hell did he get this arrow to stop me? I don't understand…even Sesshoumaru doesn't have the kind of magic power necessary to hurt me with an arrow. I have to stop him, before he kills someone.'  
  
As he watched, Inuyasha saw Shoukaki undergo her transformation from relatively harmless spirit to vengeful poltergeist. It was frightening, to see such an innocent child become such a monster. Even in the face of his brother, who could bring out the worst in everyone, seeing this happen to little Shoukaki was still terrible. 'And even with this extra power, I don't think she'll be able to hurt my brother. Phantom or not…I fear he may be able to kill her. He could animate the dead souls of demons, after all. What's to stop him from killing an already dead human? Shit, I need to help them! Why can't I defeat this arrow? It's like Kikyou's arrow from so long ago.'  
  
Kagome shifted nervously as Shoukaki and Sesshoumaru fought. Her movements jostled Inuyasha around enough to make his wound ache further. He gasped as a particularly bad pain took him; Kagome continued to move. "Kagome…please, stop fidgeting. It hurts…" Something smelled funny. Inuyasha took a long, deep breath. What was this smell? Something didn't seem right here. "Kagome?"  
  
She shifted again and the half-breed could hear the delicate rasp of a knife coming out of its scabbard. Turning his head back up to look at her, Inuyasha caught the glint of metal as Kagome's face disappeared in a puff of smoke. Rolling himself off her knees, Inuyasha struggled to his feet, the pain from the arrow in his side nearly knocking him down again. He held his ground, however and waited for the smoke to clear.  
  
When the smoke cleared, Kagome was gone and in her place stood a tall, sleek kitsune. She smiled, showing her sharp fangs, then attacked. Inuyasha parried the knife blow clumsily and collapsed to the ground, unable to support himself and fight at the same time. The fox-demon skidded to a halt and turned back around to face her opponent, the morning light sparkling on her pristine white fur. Her grin was vile.  
  
"Oh, Inuyasha, I'm so sorry I couldn't return to you." She laughed harshly. "Bah, you're such a fool. Pathetic half-breed. Did you actually think you could win back your precious Kagome so easily?" She laughed again. "You'll be lucky to leave here with your life. Even if by some miracle you defeat me—and I highly doubt that given your present condition—Lord Sesshoumaru will finish you off. Your precious Kagome indeed. Hah!"  
  
Standing once again, his body wracked by countless spasms of pain, Inuyasha stared hard at the kitsune who had taken his love's form. The amber of his eyes looked black beneath the shadow of his lids. "Is Kagome here?"  
  
The fox-demon stood calmly and watched as her opponent fought simply to stand. She grinned evilly. "It really doesn't matter, does it, half- breed? You'd have to beat me to get that answer and with that arrow embedded in you, beating me is out of the question. So it really doesn't matter."  
  
Inuyasha took a step forward; blood ran down his side and soaked his clothing, while pain riddled his entire body. He ignored it all and kept staring at the female who had dared to take his dearest Kagome's form. "Is Kagome here?" he asked again.  
  
Amused, the woman readied herself for a fight. "Ah, so it'll be like that, will it? Well, this should prove interesting, at the very least. Very well, half-breed, if you can beat me I'll tell you where your precious Kagome is. Prepare to die."  
  
She jumped at him, knife whizzing through the air toward Inuyasha's unprotected head. The demon grinned. There was no way he could protect himself in his state. This fight was hers!  
  
At the last moment, Inuyasha brought his arm up to deflect the blow. Caught off guard, the kitsune tumbled to the ground. When she turned to stand, she found herself peering up the length of the Tetsusaiga. Inuyasha glared at her from the sword's hilt, his breathing heavy, but with a determined face. "Is Kagome here?"  
  
The kitsune sighed. "It would seem I've lost, huh?" She grinned. Her legs shot out from under her and took the half-demon in the knees; Inuyasha fell with a thud, Tetsusaiga clattering to the ground beside him, reverted to its original shape. The fox woman skittered over to where her enemy lay, knife in hand and ready to slit his throat. She yanked his head up by his hair and laughed. He was as good as dead!  
  
Small, paw-like hands grabbed her tail and pulled hard. Screaming, the kitsune wheeled around and swung at her attacker, only to watch her blade whisk through air. Fuming, she turned back to Inuyasha, only to find him on his feet again, sword in hand. Beside him lay the arrow that had felled him, tip bloody, but harmless now. The woman gulped and took a step back. Inuyasha grinned and took a step forward.  
  
"Is. Kagome. Here?"  
  
Not waiting for an answer, the hanyou lunged forward and brought Tetsusaiga down on the fox's arm. Her hand went flying, knife still gripped in her claws and she fell to the ground, holding the bloody stump and screaming in agony. The dog-demon took another step forward. He pressed the tip of Tetsusaiga against the demon's throat and tilted her chin up. "I win. Now answer my question."  
  
Fearful, the kitsune shook but answered: "She's in the brush, with Jaken. Lord Sesshoumaru demanded that she not be seen and had the toad keep watch." The sword pressed harder against her skin; her eyes glinted and she steeled herself. "I'm telling the truth, you pathetic half-breed. Your precious Kagome is here. That's all you wanted to know." She flicked her wrist and was engulfed in smoke. By the time Inuyasha had stopped coughing enough to look again, she was gone.  
  
He sighed. "Come on out, runt. She's gone."  
  
Slowly, Shippou crept out from behind the tree where he'd hidden after distracting the fox-woman and pulling the arrow out of Inuyasha's side. He examined his burnt fingers and cringed. The arrow was enchanted; it had hurt a lot pulling it out.  
  
"Inuyasha…are you okay?"  
  
The half-demon nodded, then turned to where Shoukaki and Sesshoumaru lay panting on the ground. "Yeah, I'm fine. I've just got some unfinished business to attend to, that's all." With purposeful strides, he headed toward his brother.  
  
Shippou began to follow, then stopped as he came near the arrow. It looked like any other arrow upon inspection. The fox leaned in closer, sniffing. It smelled funny. There was Inuyasha's scent, since he had worn the weapon for so long, but also another smell…something familiar. But try as he might, Shippou couldn't place the scent. "Inuyasha, the arrow smells funny." The hanyou frowned, then shook his head and continued on. After a moment more with the weapon, Shippou shrugged and bounded off after his half-demon companion. Sesshoumaru was what was important now.  
  
Said demon was even now pulling himself up from the ground. A large gash tore across the front of his chest, bleeding badly. He placed a claw to the wound, then stared dully at his blood stained fingers. It was unbelievable that he be injured so and by a human, no less. 'That damned child…' Venomously, he turned his gaze to where Shoukaki lay unconscious. Her cords were gone and a trickle of blood wove down her arched neck. 'She will die now for what she's done to me.'  
  
The demon took a step toward the sleeping ghost when a shout from behind caught his attention. Sesshoumaru whirled around at the sound of his brother's voice. Inuyasha grinned maniacally, Tetsusaiga draped across his shoulders. For the moment, Sesshoumaru's attention turned from Shoukaki to his half-breed brother. This fight would be far more satisfying.  
  
"Ah, if it isn't my half-breed of a brother. I see that the arrow is gone from your side. What a pity. It was a grand decoration for such a filthy creature and terribly fitting. Perhaps you'd like a new one?"  
  
Inuyasha grunted. "If I can give you another windpipe—preferably down your entire front—I'll think about it. I've been waiting for this moment a long time, you bastard. Have you got anything to say for yourself?"  
  
Sesshoumaru's eyes sparkled with malevolent hatred as he faced his younger sibling. Glibly he responded: "I suppose you were happy to see your woman again?"  
  
Nearby, Shoukaki slowly awoke and crawled to her knees, only to stop as she saw the brother's facing off. 'Oh, no…I couldn't beat him, after all…' She hadn't been able to wound Sesshoumaru as much as she'd hoped and he faced Inuyasha far more intact than the half-demon. With her own wounds, there was no way she could help, either. 'Inuyasha…be careful…'  
  
Miroku as well came to as the brother's prepared to fight. Slowly, agonizingly, he pulled himself to a kneeling position. Beside him, Sango moaned and dragged herself up with him, still clutching her arm. The priest winced as he caught sight of the bone glistening red through the demon hunter's torn flesh. Gently, he pulled his love closer and held her protectively. 'Please, Inuyasha, don't lose. If you do, a broken arm and bruised bones will be the least of our worries.'  
  
There was a piercing shriek as Inuyasha sliced through the air with Tetsusaiga. He stared at Sesshoumaru angrily and demanded: "Where is Kagome, you bastard?" He took a step forward, the Fang swinging to and fro dangerously. "What have you done to her? If you've hurt her in any way, I'll…"  
  
"Fool, what do you think you can do? You're a pitiful half-breed who can't even protect his woman. What do you think you can do against this Sesshoumaru, who can raise the souls of dead youkai and command them to do his bidding?"  
  
Dog Boy didn't answer, but instead jumped forward, his sword swinging. Sesshoumaru easily dodged, a sharp jab of his fist connecting with Inuyasha's skull and sending him flying. With an audible crash, the hanyou smashed into the ground, clods of earth spraying everywhere. He lay still a moment, then struggled quickly to his feet, turning to meet his brother. The demon hmphed, but said nothing.  
  
Again, Inuyasha made for his brother. This time, just before he connected with Tetsusaiga, the half-demon reversed his swing and brought the blade in from the side. Sesshoumaru stepped back, the razor edge just barely missing his arm and gliding harmlessly through the air. He just as smoothly grabbed Inuyasha's fist as it came flying toward him in the wake of the sword swing. With a disdainful growl, the demon lord shoved his brother back down to the ground.  
  
"You are no match for me, pathetic half-breed. Give up and hand over the Shikon Jewel. Perhaps I will return your woman to you then."  
  
Enraged anew, Inuyasha leapt to his feet, Fang swinging. "Where is Kagome, Sesshoumaru?!" Swing, swing, parry, thrust, swing, counter. "What have you done with her, you bastard?!"  
  
Sesshoumaru easily dodged his brother's wild swings, amused. Perhaps the girl would prove even more useful than he'd originally planned. He dodged another thrust as he contemplated his next move. Yes, the human female could prove quite valuable in the future. His dark thoughts made him smile slightly. It would appear his brother would not die today.  
  
"Sesshoumaru!"  
  
The demon looked up as Inuyasha brought his sword down heavily. He moved to parry the blow, only to have a fist in his stomach and a foot in his knee, instead. Sesshoumaru collapsed to the ground, Inuyasha on top of him. Tetsusaiga cut painfully into his right arm, positioned between his muscle and humorous. He tried to get up, only to have another fist connect with his skull.  
  
Inuyasha grinned and laughed coldly. "Where…is Kagome…you bastard?" he rasped, short of breath. Tetsusaiga twisted ever so slightly—just the smallest fraction, really. Sesshoumaru could feel his muscle detach further from his bone. He glared up at his brother, eyes cold. "Well? She better be all right, or else…"  
  
"Or else what? I believe the kitsune already told you where your human woman was, brother of mine. Jaken has her safely behind the brush; she's probably watching you right now. Why don't you go to her, detestable half- breed? I'm sure she is waiting for you."  
  
For a moment, Inuyasha looked at his brother skeptically. 'Sesshoumaru…what are you planning? You've never been this cooperative with me before. I can't believe that I've won this battle so easily. Unless, of course, you don't want to lose the only other arm you have?' He grinned devilishly at that. It'd serve his brother right, if his right arm was severed just as clean as his left. 'But still…if he's telling the truth and Kagome is in the brush right now…Finally, after all these months…she'll be with me again…' "All right, Sesshoumaru. I'll let you go this time. But she'd better be all right, bastard, or you can expect to lose your right arm just as you lost your left."  
  
With a tug, Inuyasha ripped his sword out from his brother's arm and stood. Sesshoumaru climbed slowly to his feet, holding his bleeding arm close to his body. He didn't speak as his brother walked slowly over to the bushes.  
  
Miroku stared at the demon lord suspiciously. Something wasn't right. "What are you up to, Sesshoumaru?"  
  
The demon lord didn't even look at him. "What I do is of little concern to you, human filth. Be content that you survived this day."  
  
The priest glared, but silently consented. He really did need to be thankful he'd survived, as well as the others. He could only hope that the terrible feeling in his stomach was ungoverned and simply the side effects of his fight with the demon lord and not because something dreadful was about to happen.  
  
Inuyasha approached the line of bushes where he'd originally seen the Kagome-kitsune before he was shot. Shippou crawled along behind him, tail tucked between his legs. That same scent was around here, the one that had been on the arrow with Inuyasha's smell. It made his hair bristle. Timidly, he pulled on his companion's pant leg. "Inuyasha…I don't like this. Something doesn't feel right. And I can't smell Kagome, either…"  
  
There was a quiet grunt of acknowledgement, but the dog-demon kept on. He knew something was fishy, but just the thought of seeing Kagome again pushed him forward. He didn't care if it was a trap, if Sesshoumaru was planning something. He knew, inside, that Kagome was in those bushes somewhere and he had to get her. True, he couldn't smell her and true, his spine shuddered uneasily, but he had to do this. He had to.  
  
Shippou clung to Inuyasha, shaking. 'Kagome…Kagome might be behind those bushes. The real Kagome, not some fox-demon in disguise. I feel bad, now, for all those times I pretended to be her when she was gone and Inuyasha was upset. And as long as she's there, I'll never do it again. I just want to see Kagome again.' The kitsune sniffed. He still couldn't smell her, but maybe that was because Jaken was with her, or Sesshoumaru had covered her scent somehow, so that they wouldn't know she was there. Whatever the reason, just as Inuyasha knew deep inside that Kagome was there, so did Shippou and there was no way he was going to give into cowardice this time.  
  
They stopped, having reached their destination. Slowly, ever so slowly, Inuyasha reached out and parted the brush with his claws. His breathing was heavy as he pushed apart the clingy branches and foliage of the bushes, his whole body tense. Shippou could feel his heart beating faster and faster. 'Just a little more and we'll see Kagome again…Please oh please let her be there…'  
  
The bushes finally fell away and Inuyasha and Shippou looked directly into the face of Jaken. The toad squawked as Inuyasha picked him up by his throat and roared: "Where is Kagome?!"  
  
Jaken pointed off to the side. "There," he croaked out. "She's…she's over there!"  
  
Inuyasha threw the demon down and dashed over to the bushes to his side. He tore them apart feverishly, all the while calling Kagome's name. Shippou stayed behind with Jaken, sniffing. Something was terribly amiss. Why was this smell so familiar, yet so alien at the same time? What was going on?  
  
There was a cry over by Inuyasha. Shippou perked up his ears. 'That's Kagome's voice!' Faster than he ever thought he possibly could, the fox- demon raced over to where his half-demon friend hunched over. The smell of the arrow was overpowering, but the kitsune didn't care. Beyond the hanyou's shoulder he could see the soft, black locks of Kagome's hair and hear her muffled voice. He skidded to a halt beside the two, tears in his eyes. "Kagome…" he breathed out. "Kagome…Kagome Kagome Kagome!"  
  
Looking up, the girl smiled at her little friend and held out her arms to him; she was crying. The kitsune tossed himself into her embrace, rubbing his face into her chest and calling out her name repeatedly. She held him close. "Oh, Shippou…look at how much you've grown…" She smiled and turned her face to Inuyasha. "Inuyasha…look…look at how much Shippou's grown…he's not a little boy anymore, huh?" She bit back her sobs as she looked deep into the hanyou's eyes. He looked right back at her, his golden eyes shining wetly.  
  
"Yeah…you've missed a lot…We've missed you a lot, too…" He paused briefly, then grinned; a tear trickled down his face. "It's been so lonely without you here. And so much has happened while you were away…we thought you were dead. I was so afraid…And I tried, Kagome, I really tried but…I just couldn't do anything without you here. I need you with me. I've…I've missed you terribly, Kagome."  
  
Unable to hold her sobs back anymore, the girl tossed herself at him, Shippou and all and wept into his chest. "I've missed you so much Inuyasha. I've missed you so much."  
  
He held her tightly and rocked her back and forth. Burying his face in her hair, he whispered: "Don't ever leave me again, Kagome. Please, don't ever leave me again."  
  
She nodded and didn't speak.  
  
Standing over with Miroku and Sango, Shoukaki kneeling close by, Sesshoumaru smiled. He turned his eyes to where Jaken sat in the bushes and nodded his head. The toad grinned and grabbed his staff, then hurried through the brush to where the three friends clung to one another. He cackled as he lifted his weapon high to strike.  
  
Inuyasha's head snapped up as he smelled the demon coming. Pushing Kagome away, the half-breed stood, Tetsusaiga in hand, ready to protect his love. Jaken only laughed harder as he ran straight toward the dog-demon, staff at the ready.  
  
Shippou clung to Kagome as he watched Jaken approach. She was trembling and held him closely. 'Of course Sesshoumaru wouldn't let us get Kagome without a fight. Why is he doing this, though? He hates humans…especially Kagome. Why is he making this so difficult?' The kitsune held his friend tight, his face pressed into her shirt. He couldn't help but smell her. 'What…wait a minute…' Something about Kagome's smell wasn't right. There was something very very wrong with it. Shippou took another sniff. 'What is wrong? It's definitely Kagome, but something is wrong. Why does she smell wrong? What is—' Shippou stiffened. He knew what was wrong, now.  
  
Jaken was approaching quickly, his twiggy arms swinging the two-headed staff crazily. Inuyasha growled and prepared to jump him, when Shippou suddenly cried out. The half-demon twirled around to see the kitsune struggling vainly to get out of Kagome's arms, while the girl was looking at him with frightened, tear-filled eyes and asking him what was wrong. Shippou didn't answer, only tried harder to get away. Kagome pleaded with him more, her words choked by sobs. "Shippou…Shippou, what's wrong?"  
  
Inuyasha didn't have time to watch anymore, however, as the toad reached him just then. Angrily, the dog-demon parried the staff attack, then brought his arm around and smashed Jaken in the skull. Sesshoumaru's lackey spun through the air and landed heavily in the bushes.  
  
Just then, Shippou tore himself from Kagome's arms and ran to Inuyasha. He was crying as he grabbed the half-demon's leg and pointed back toward the girl they'd both longed to see for the past eight months. "Inuyasha, that smell I told you about earlier, the funny one on the arrow. I figured it out. Inuyasha…Kagome smells like the arrow. Kagome…Kagome smells like the arrow!"  
  
Kagome stood, her hands pressed to her chest. Her eyes were large and dark, with tear stains along her cheeks and large drops still caught in her lashes. Those eyes looked to her love and her little friend pleadingly. "Inuyasha…Shippou…"  
  
Suddenly, she began to gag, coughing and clutching at her heart and throat. Inuyasha took an instinctive step toward her, but she waved him off. Through her choking gasps, she stared at him; terror radiated from her and clouded over her eyes. "Inuyasha…run away…quickly…"  
  
He shook his head. "Kagome, what's going on? Why do you smell like the arrow that hit me?"  
  
There was a laugh behind them and Jaken bounded into sight, a bow gripped in his hands. He darted over next to Kagome, grinning like a fool. She watched him with loathing, but made no move to push him away. Instead, she reached out—her movements were mechanical, as though she weren't controlling her own body—and took the weapon in her hands. She also took an arrow from the satchel on the ground next to her. Jaken cackled more as he called out: "She smells like it because she's the one that shot it! For Lord Sesshoumaru, die, Inuyasha!"  
  
Slowly, Kagome drew back the string, arrow knocked and ready. As she let fly her weapon, she screamed: "Run, Inuyasha! Run now!"  
  
'No…Kagome, what's going on?' Inuyasha just stood and watched as the arrow flew toward him. He made no move to avoid it. "Kagome…why…?"  
  
"Inuyasha, look out!" Shippou jumped up and tackled his friend to the ground as the arrow whizzed by harmlessly. Inuyasha just stared at Kagome as her body moved woodenly away from him. Shippou watched as well, his whole body trembling. 'Kagome…Kagome…why?'  
  
Even as she walked away, the girl stared at Inuyasha, her eyes full of tears. Over and over she said: "Run, Inuyasha, I can't stop it. Run away, Inuyasha. Run away." Then she disappeared into the surrounding trees, led by Jaken and her voice couldn't be heard anymore.  
  
Sesshoumaru walked over to his brother slowly, his face as cold and beautiful as before. He looked down at the half-breed callously, then moved on, careful to step around Inuyasha's body. As he disappeared into the brush, he said: "If you really want her back, bring the Shikon Jewel to the Western Falls within a week. I will be waiting for you there." And then he was gone.  
  
Miroku and the others stared, mouths agape and hearts breaking. Twice now Inuyasha had been separated from Kagome, but this time…this time was too much. She'd shot him with an enchanted arrow, much the same as Kikyou had so long ago. By the looks of it, her body was being manipulated by Sesshoumaru, but still… "Inuyasha…"  
  
Shoukaki wiped at her eyes, then crawled over to where the dog-demon lay. She pulled herself up onto his chest and buried her face in his front. "Inuyasha…please don't be sad again…" Her fingers twined into his kimono as she pleaded. "Kagome…she didn't do it because she wanted to. And you'll get her back when you beat your brother, so…please don't be sad again—"  
  
A hand on her head stopped her words short. The ghost lifted her face to see the hanyou smiling weakly down at her. She blinked. "Inuyasha…?"  
  
His voice was soft as he replied. "I gave up once and became weak, because I thought Kagome was dead. But she's alive and to save her, I can't afford to become weak again. I will not turn back to that coward again. Everyone would be sad if I did. And I don't think I could face Kagome if I did. So don't worry; I'm not turning around again."  
  
Shoukaki nodded and pressed her head into his chest, her spirit calm. 'You'll save her, Inuyasha. There isn't any other possible path for you to take.'  
  
Shippou sat beside them, staring into the trees. A breeze ruffled his fur. "Kagome…" he whispered. The wind carried his words and they disappeared among the clouds. 


	7. The Phantom Child (A Side Story)

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII don't know when to shut up, it would seem. This side story was originally only going to be like…five pages, tops. It seems I over-wrote. * shrugs * I like my character, what can I say?  
  
Anyhow, there are two reasons I wrote this chapter (well…it isn't really a chapter, but…you get the point). One is because I wanted people to be able to kinda understand where Shoukaki comes from. I mean, all the other characters I use are from the manga, so you know them. They all have a past and a personality and you know what they're like. Well, to an extent. But Shoukaki, since she's original, no one knows what she's like.  
  
And then there's reason two. I just wanted to be able to write about my own character. Kinda test myself, see how well I can write. It's one thing to read a story about characters that already have a story, its another thing to write about someone no one knows and be able to convey that story just as well. It's all selfishness, of course, but I have reasons for my selfishness.  
  
Anyhow…I kinda hope you all enjoy this side story. It isn't relevant to the story line—heck, you don't need to know a damn thing in here. I just hope it helps flesh out a character that otherwise no one knows. Whether you read it or not, I was just happy to write it.  
  
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy it.  
  
  
  
Where Lost Souls Meet Again  
  
Chapter Seven: The Phantom Child (A Side Story)  
  
  
  
  
  
"Mommy! Look it, look it!"  
  
Shoukaki ran toward her mother, waving around a wad of flowers she'd picked in the fields. The woman smiled and knelt down as her daughter flew into her arms. She hugged the girl tight, then sat her back a bit and looked at the slightly wilting bouquet being offered her. Gently, she pulled them from Shoukaki's hands and placed them delicately in her hair.  
  
The woman pressed her fingers against the flowers. "Thank you, my Red Bird. They are beautiful."  
  
Grinning widely, Shoukaki hopped to her feet and went running around the field, her arms waving like a bird's. After a moment, she stopped and twirled so that she was facing her mother. "They are beautiful because you're wearing them, Mommy! You look prettiest with flowers in your hair, just like you said you did!"  
  
Shoukaki's mother nodded. "Indeed I do, Red Bird, indeed I do." She motioned and her daughter came flying over to her; she stumbled a bit as the girl's arms snaked around her waist and her small body pressed tightly against her parent's. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around her little child's shoulders as she said: "And the most beautiful flowers are the ones you bring me."  
  
The girl laughed in response.  
  
Slowly, the two women made their way back from the fields to the fairly large house on a nearby hill. A meandering stream wandered about the meadow, pushing through the waving grass and bubbling over rocks. Birds took off as the humans passed close by, only to land a ways off looking disgruntled. A fox waded through the grass, looking for food. Shoukaki watched it all from her mother's side, smiling. Today was a beautiful day, indeed.  
  
There was a speck up the hill in front of the house. It waved, then began bounding down the gentle slope. As it approached it grew larger and larger, until the shadows fell away and little Kou was running at high speeds toward the two people walking in the fields. Shoukaki waved back with her free hand and urged her mother to move faster. The older woman just shook her head kindly and let her daughter's hand go; the moment she was free, Shoukaki took off up the hill, meeting her friend half-way.  
  
Kou was jumpy and giddy as he met with his best friend. His dark hair was tousled and looked just a tad bit dirty—Shoukaki could tell that he'd been out near the river and in the quarry area. There were smudges of dirt and grime on his face, as well and stains on his plain workman's clothes. She didn't care, though; Kou was her best friend and she loved him no matter what he looked like. She had to admit, though, that it was quite a contrast to her relatively clean kimono and neatly plaited hair.  
  
"Red Bird, Red Bird! You've gotta come with me, I have somethin' to show you!" Roughly and without a reply, he grabbed her small hand in his and began pulling her along. Shoukaki looked plaintively at her mother but the woman only smiled and waved her on. She fought back a moment more, then gave in and dashed along with her friend, lest she be dragged in his enthusiasm.  
  
The two made their way from the hill on which Shoukaki's house sat, toward the village a little ways off. A small wood had begun growing in the area and was now a favourite haunt of most of the village children. No doubt Kou had found some new area that he just had to show his friend, or maybe a nest of some birds. Once they'd found a fox burrow, but even they were smart enough to keep from there. Shoukaki wondered if maybe her impetuous boy had found another and just wanted to show her before leaving it alone again.  
  
After darting along through the woods for a good ten minutes or so, the girl began to tug on her arm; she wanted to walk. "Kou, Kou slow down! Can't we walk there?"  
  
The boy looked back over his shoulder and grinned, but he did slow down. Shoukaki thanked him and took the respite gratefully. "Where are we going?" she finally asked when she'd caught her breath.  
  
For a minute it looked like Kou wasn't going to tell her, then he sighed. "Well," he began, acting a little hurt that she'd asked, "I found this really really pretty area in the woods a ways from here and I just knew that you would like it. It has flowers aaaaaaaaaaaaall over the place and a pretty little pond this big!" He opened his small arms as wide as he could to demonstrate. Shoukaki laughed. Kou bowed his head and blushed a little as he finished: "I just though that maybe you'd like to spend the day with me there, or somethin'. Since it's so pretty and all and I found it, you know?"  
  
Shoukaki giggled and gave her friend a peck on the cheek. Kou flamed like a paper display over a match. "Thank you so much, Kou. But wouldn't it be nicer to walk there, instead of run? That way we can enjoy the time it takes to get there, as well."  
  
He laughed a little awkwardly and held the back of his head in his hands. "Yeah, I guess it would," he admitted. He reached down and gently took her hand in his again. "So…you wanna go walk with me to the pretty spot, Red Bird?"  
  
She nodded. "I would love to, Kou."  
  
The place that Kou had found really wasn't so far into the woods, as Shoukaki had first imagined. They came upon it about a quarter of an hour later, walking hand in hand and talking about the flowers that Shoukaki had picked for her mother. Kou was wondering if she would make a bouquet for his sister, since his family didn't have much money and she couldn't buy any jewellery or baubles of her own.  
  
Shoukaki stopped in her inquiry of what types of flowers Kou's sister liked most as she took her first look at the place he had brought her to. Flowers ranged all over like a big bed cover that blanketed the entire field. A small, placid pond arched along the far edge from where they stood, shaped like a crescent and lined with small stones and rocks. A crane raised its head to look at them, then went back to drinking the water from the pool, its long neck swooped gracefully. Shoukaki stuttered. "It's…it's beautiful, Kou!"  
  
He puffed up proudly as she ran into the area and knelt down among the flowers. "I knew you'd like it, Red Bird." He waltzed over and sat beside her as she rummaged through the flora. "So…is this going to be our "special place" from now on, you think?"  
  
The girl paused in her perusal of the various plants around her to smile and nod at him. "I would love for this to be our "special place," Kou. This is the best place in the whole world!" She leaned in and gave him another peck; the boy swooned happily. Then it was back to flowers and just sitting in the open area, beneath the sun.  
  
"Kou?"  
  
The boy started, the voice of his friend catching him unawares. They'd been silent for almost a half-hour and her voice cut through the quiet like a knife. He blinked and looked at her. "Yeah?"  
  
Shoukaki sat quietly, hands in her lap, flowers laced around her fingers. She was silent a moment, then looked up at her companion; her eyes were somewhat sad. She petted her flowers as she asked: "Kou, do you ever miss your mother?"  
  
Taken aback, the boy sat and thought for a moment. When he replied his voice was small and slightly strained. "I miss her a lot, actually. She was really nice and pretty and she loved us all a lot. Papa misses her, too. He tells my sister she looks a lot like Mama; maybe that's why he can be really mean to her. It hurts him a lot to be reminded." He shrugged and wiped at his eyes. "Sis wants to know if you can make her flowers like you do your mother cause then she thinks she'll be pretty like Mama was. Mama wore flowers a lot, like your mom. They were good friends."  
  
"Yeah." Shoukaki shook her head and sniffed. "Well, I know just the kinds of flowers to give your sister, then. And…I'll pick some extra ones and we can put them in the lake, to send to your mother." She forced a smile and began picking flowers again. "Then your mother can know that your sister wants to be really pretty like she was and she'll help her out. Right?"  
  
Kou nodded and began looking around. "Right. So…which flowers are you going to pick?"  
  
The child pointed toward a circle of white petals. "Let's start there…"  
  
  
  
They picked flowers the rest of the day, Shoukaki pointing out which ones she felt would make Kou's sister look prettiest, as well as ones to send to his mother. Once they had done that, she sat her friend down and they began to braid the stems together. Kou kept tangling his together and knotting the flowers so that they weren't pretty, but after a few tries and some expert direction, he'd soon made a garland. It was far from beautiful and actually looked quite pitiful next to Shoukaki's, but the boy held it proudly and she told him often that it was the best.  
  
"And you're going to give that one to your mother?"  
  
He nodded, holding the flowers close. "Yep, cause I wanted to give her somethin'. Hey, Red Bird? Is that why you asked if I miss Mama? You know, since the anniversary of her death is in just a couple days?"  
  
Shoukaki nodded, but didn't say anything for a while. Then she added: "Also, I was just thinking. If I lost Mommy, I wonder what I would do? I don't think I'm as strong as you, Kou and I was wondering, if she went away, would I miss her a lot?"  
  
Kou leaned over and hugged his friend close, resting his chin on her black hair. She sighed and pressed closer to him. He smiled. "I know that you'll be all right no matter what happens to you, Red Bird. Because you're a lot stronger than you think."  
  
She nodded and murmured a quiet "yes" into his chest, then pulled away. She took a deep breath and stood up. "Well, we should head back now. Unless you want to give the flowers to your mom now?"  
  
He shrugged. "We usually do somethin' together when the day comes around. I think I'll hold onto the flowers until then. Do you…wanna come by the village and give those to my sister…?"  
  
With a laugh the girl took his hand and began walking out from their place. "Of course I would, Kou. Of course I would."  
  
They walked together through the woods, talking and laughing. The sun was beginning to set as they came upon the outskirts of the village. Kou was in mid-laugh when he suddenly fell silent and pulled Shoukaki into the nearest brush. Before she could say anything he placed a finger against her mouth and uttered a silent "Be quiet." She nodded, frightened and listened around to hear what had startled her friend so.  
  
At first there was no noise, then she could make out the guttural grunts of large men. Her eyes went large as she realised there were men around. Something smelled bad—she figured it was them. They were probably the bandits she'd overheard her father talking about before. Without meaning to, Shoukaki whimpered. Just thinking about what he'd said made her shudder.  
  
"Some bandits have moved into the area. They murdered three merchants on the road and make threats to many others if they don't pay a fee. They claim that they 'care about the common people and are only ridding those who are corrupt and uncaring of the people's hard-earned money.' They hate statesmen and merchants and have a thing against landlords as well, no matter how minor. I have the feeling that they may come after me sometime, since I'm a local landowner and am therefore 'against the people.' I just hope I can protect the village from them in the case that they act up. I don't want any innocent people to die…"  
  
Kou looked at her, concerned. "Shoukaki…?" he whispered. "Red Bird, are you all right?"  
  
She shook her head frantically. "Those men…I think they're the bandits that took up around here. Papa was talking about them to some of his men a few months ago. He said they were really bad and that they hated Papa cause he was a landowner and that they might attack the village someday. Kou…what if they're attacking the village? I'm scared…"  
  
He bit his lip, then shook his head and turned her so that he looked directly into her eyes. She was crying. He took a deep breath, then said: "Red Bird, listen to me. You need to go and get your father. Tell him that the village is under attack and that he needs to send his men right away! Go now, quietly, through the woods. When you're out of range and you know you can't be heard, run! Okay, Red Bird? Do you understand?"  
  
Shoukaki shook her head and clung to him vehemently. "I don't want to go alone, Kou! I'm scared!" She held him close and did her best not to cry loudly. "Don't make me go alone…!"  
  
Squeezing her arms hard, Kou shook the crying girl until she looked at him. "Listen to me, Shoukaki. I know you're scared but that doesn't mean you can hide or give up. People need you to help them. Think about it. Would my mother be happy if I didn't do anything to save the village? Would your mother?" She shook her head, but clung just as tightly. Gently, Kou took her fingers and pulled them away. He handed her his flower garland, as well. "I'll need that back, to give to my mother once this is over. To show her how much I cared and how much I fought to protect us. And you need to bring it back to me, to show how strong you are and how much you helped. Can you do that for me, Red Bird?"  
  
Crying, Shoukaki nodded. She held the flowers close to her heart, then turned to run into the woods. Before she could get anywhere, though, Kou wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight. "Remember, Shoukaki, just because you're scared doesn't give you the right to run away. Now fly home, Red Bird." He leaned in and pecked her gently on the cheek. "I'll see you again, I promise." Then he let her go and was gone, running toward the village.  
  
For a while, Shoukaki simply sat in the brush. She could hear the gruff voices of the men and smell that terrible smell, but it didn't matter. She just sat and thought about what Kou had said and that she hadn't gotten to tell him good-bye. A horrible feeling dwelt in her gut that told her she wouldn't see him again and she regretted that the last words she'd heard from him she'd heard without seeing his face.  
  
There was the sound of people searching the brush and Shoukaki snapped herself out of her thoughts and darted into the woods. Someone shouted but she ignored it. She had to get home to tell her father about what had happened.  
  
Trees passed by her at an incredible pace as she ran swiftly among them. The shouting drifted off into the distance and she found herself running in silence. Even her thoughts were hushed as she darted along the broken path, among the young forest toward home. She wasn't even thinking about why she was running home so quickly; she feared that if she thought about anything, the fear that nipped at her heels would overcome her and she wouldn't be able to do anything. So she simply ran on instinct toward the house on the hill.  
  
Sunlight broke through the trees and suddenly Shoukaki shot out from the wood. There was her house, sitting solitary on a hill by a stream, next to a meadow full of flowers. Without changing her pace she dashed up the incline and into the front door. The moment she stepped among the warm, comforting interior, she raised her voice and began calling for help.  
  
"Papa! Papa, hurry! The bad men are in the village!" Her voice rang off the ceiling and among the various rooms, but no one answered. She called again. "Papa, hurry! Kou is there! He said he needs your help! Papa!"  
  
Over and over she called as she ran around the house, looking in all the rooms. Finally, she came to a small room in the back, where they stored rice and flour. Throwing the door open, Shoukaki's voice died in her throat as three large men turned in unison to look at her. She stammered and backed away. The men grinned and moved toward her; one of them had a knife. It glistened wetly with something red. Behind them, the girl could just barely make out the slumped shadow of a person.  
  
Like a deer, the girl suddenly turned and ran, screaming for her father. The men were quick to follow, laughing and grunting in their deep, ugly voices. Shoukaki darted into rooms, through doorways, under and around anything she could, trying to get away from the men. All the while she cried for her father, praying that someone would come and make the bad men go away.  
  
Arms reached out and grabbed the back of her kimono, dragging her to a sudden halt. Shoukaki gagged as the fabric of her robe tightened around her neck. More hands grabbed her and felt along her limbs, her torso. She cried out and struggled as one of the men picked her up and held her close; she could smell his breath and it made her nauseous. He laughed as he carried her away, his hands holding her painfully tight.  
  
She struggled for the longest time, then finally gave up as her body lost its strength. She stared ahead of her, not really seeing where they were going, until sunlight suddenly poured down on her. They were out back, where the wood was chopped and most of the cleaning was done. She stared around dully, wondering why they'd brought her back here. Her eyes wandered over everything, taking in the people lined up along the wall and the other four men that leered down at them and laughed in their big gruff voices.  
  
The man continued to hold her as he made his way toward the people along the wall. Shoukaki took them all in—most of them were servants and people she'd known since she was born—trying to find her mother and father. All of the faces looked so sad and distraught. None of them were her parents.  
  
Then she saw her. Her mother, sitting quietly at the end of the line. Her kimono was torn in several places and her long black hair was ratty and down, but she still looked beautiful in her daughter's eyes. Shoukaki began to struggle anew in the bad man's arms, reaching for her mother and calling out. The woman looked up and her eyes widened in fear, then she dipped her head and began weeping. Shoukaki could see that the flowers from that morning were still in her mother's hair.  
  
"Mommy!" she cried, reaching and struggling to get to her parent. The man holding her stopped walking, then began laughing raucously. Shoukaki ignored him and continued to try to reach her mother. "Mommy! Mommy, where's Papa?"  
  
The woman in question raised her head again and looked at her daughter with eyes so full of pain that for a moment, Shoukaki quieted down. Her mother had never looked like that before. Then another of the bad men came over and took her chin in his big ugly hand and pulled her face up so that she'd look at him. His breath was terrible and the girl wanted to throw up when he talked.  
  
"So, you're the little brat, huh? You wanna know where your 'Papa' is, huh? Well, Lady, shall we tell her?" He turned his attention from Shoukaki to her mother; the woman cried out and reached forward pleadingly, while another of the men held her back and laughed. The man in front of Shoukaki turned back to her and grinned. "I take that as a yes. Hey, boys, why don't we show the little lady here her 'Papa.' What'd'ya say?" There was loud laughter from all the men and the one holding the girl's chin nodded toward the other side of the house. "Let's go see your 'Papa,' little lady."  
  
Shoukaki found herself carried past her mother toward where the wood was chopped for the house. She struggled to get out of her captor's arms as she passed her mother, while the woman reached out and cried for her baby. The men ignored it all and carried Shoukaki passed the people lined up. When her mother was out of sight, the girl turned around to find the man that had held her chin. She wished she hadn't.  
  
Her father lay with his neck over the chopping block. An axe was embedded deep into the wood, blood splattered up its side. On the ground next to the block was her father's head, the eyes open and staring, his mouth frozen in a silent pleading scream.  
  
Shoukaki stared at her father for the longest time, not moving, not speaking. Then she turned away and began screaming, her small fingers digging at the man's face. He cried out and let go as he moved to protect himself. The girl landed hard on the ground and ran to her father's body, screaming and crying. She fell to the ground beside him and shook his body. "Papa, wake up! Papa! Papa!"  
  
"Little bitch!" A large hand enveloped her shoulder and pulled her bodily away from her parent's lifeless body. Shoukaki screamed and struggled to be let go. She tore and bit and clawed at the hand that held her, flailing her limbs about. More than one grunt came from the other end of her fist as she connected over and over.  
  
Finally, a rather large fist found her gut and the girl collapsed, windless. Curses streamed from the mouth of her captor, while another looked after his wounds. Shoukaki watched them as she panted on the ground, holding her stomach and doing her best not to get sick. One of the men had disappeared back around the corner. He returned shortly with her mother in tow and a wicked look on his face. The bad man that had held her face watched it all with heavy-set eyes, leaning against the stump Shoukaki's father lay at.  
  
The man pushed Shoukaki's mother over toward her daughter. As soon as he let her go, she stumbled over to her daughter and pulled her close. Shoukaki held her mother tightly, unable to cry but frightened beyond anything she'd ever known. Her mother wept into her hair and whispered to her that it would be all right. As long as she was strong, everything would be all right.  
  
After a while, the leader bad man waltzed over and pulled the two women apart. He scowled down at the mother as she struggled to reach her daughter. "Scum, that's all you are. Scum. You live off the hard work and suffering of the people in this land and you deserve to be punished for your crimes." She ignored him and continued to reach after her child. With a growl the man kicked her hard in the side. She collapsed to the ground, one hand clutching her injured side while the other reached out for Shoukaki. The man sneered. "You don't deserve anything, you evil bitch!" He kicked her again. "Stop it, stop reaching for that child! You don't deserve a child, you aren't human! All you're worthy of is death!" Once more his foot met her side; this time there was a sickening crunch.  
  
Shoukaki couldn't take it anymore. "Mommy!" Ignoring the pain in her own stomach, she crawled over to where her mother lay and latched onto the leg of the bad man. He cursed and tried to shake her off; she bit down hard and clung with all her might. The man cried out and reached down. Harshly, he beat her upside the head until she let go. As soon as she hit the ground, however, the child launched herself at him again, all teeth and nails. Fed up with her assaults, the leader beckoned for one of his men to get her. The child found herself bound in large, black ropes and pulled away from her mother, while the man continued to beat her and tell her how evil she was.  
  
"Stop it! Stop hitting Mommy!" Even in her bonds, Shoukaki fought back and tried her best to help her mother. The woman continued to reach for her child, even as her side split open and began bleeding. She had cuts and bruises all over; the arm the clutched her side was broken at the forearm and the fingers twisted gruesomely. "Leave my mother alone!"  
  
Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain at her throat. Shoukaki coughed as the air was dragged from her lungs and pressure closed her throat. The pain was biting—it hurt so much. Something was wrapped around her throat. Her eyes began to go blurry and the figure of her mother on the ground wavered. The sounds from the men were loud, then grew hollow. They were laughing; were they laughing at her? What was this pressure? "Mom…my…Mommy…" she croaked out. Her vision was going dark and the sounds around her were vague at best. She couldn't see her mother anymore.  
  
The last thing she remembered was hearing Kou tell her to be strong and her mother's smiling face.  
  
  
  
Birds were chirping. Somewhere nearby, birds were chirping.  
  
Shoukaki opened her eyes and tried to raise her head. There was a sharp pain in her throat and she couldn't see very well—everything was blurry. Sunlight spilled down on her and illuminated the area; everything was peaceful.  
  
Painfully, the girl pulled herself to her feet. For a moment everything went topsy-turvy, then she righted herself and looked around. At first nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The chopping block lay in front of her, the axe embedded into the wood, the blade clean. When she surveyed the ground, she saw no bodies. Everything looked normal and at peace. It wasn't until she turned around that she saw the truth.  
  
Her house lay in smoulders, small tendrils of smoke the only evidence of life or movement. The actual fire had died off a long time ago—perhaps a couple days—but nothing could stop the ash and refuse from smoking. Nearby lay the charred remains of one or two people, trapped beneath collapsing beams. Shoukaki gagged and covered her mouth, doing her best not to get sick.  
  
Forcing herself to move, the girl moved around the wreckage of the house. Laid out before her were several graves, the markers stark and bare against the green landscape. Woodenly, the child approached the graves, her stomach in her throat. There, written poorly on the markers, were her parents' names, as well as a few of the workers from the house. Crying, the girl fell to her knees in front of the fresh mounds and mourned the passing of the people she loved.  
  
For the longest time she knelt there in the grass and wept. She would have stayed longer, but something fell from her kimono and caught her attention. A small, badly tied garland of flowers lay on the grass, the petals withered and most of them dead. Shoukaki reached down and took up the bouquet in shaking hands. "Kou…" she whispered hoarsely. Maybe…maybe he'd survived!  
  
With hope coursing through her, the girl scrambled to her feet and began running down the hill toward the woods. Maybe the village was all right! Papa's men had come and saved the village from the bad men! Surely, they were the ones that had buried her parents and the people at the house. They'd come in time and saved the village!  
  
Like the wind the girl tore through the trees and into the village outskirts. Kou might still be alive. The people…they might still be alive…! Her hopes fell, however, as she saw the burnt out, devastated ruins of the village. Nothing moved among the scorched stone or smouldering wood. Mounds, not unlike those up at her house, littered the ground, the dirt fresh, the markers just as poorly written on.  
  
Shoukaki slowed to a walk as she came into the village. All around was nothing but destruction. The bandits had destroyed everything. Nothing was left, not even the people. 'Kou…Kou, please be alive…!'  
  
Eventually, Shoukaki came to her friend's house. It too had been destroyed, just as the rest of the village. However, someone was moving around inside the gutted remains. With a cry the girl ran into the house, calling out Kou's name. He was alive! Just like he promised!  
  
What she found, however, was not Kou. Five men were digging in the ground, picking at the dirt like ants. They wore her father's sigil—they must have been warriors from her father's entourage. Maybe…maybe they were just cleaning up. It must have been them who gave her family and the rest of the people a proper burial. Maybe they were just cleaning up now and they'd taken the rest of the villagers out of the area, where they'd be safe. They'd taken Kou, surely.  
  
But no. One of the men bent over to lift something and Shoukaki could see that it was Kou. In his hand he held a small knife—even in death he wouldn't let go. When the other men moved she could see the mounds for Kou's father and sister, right there in the centre of his house. They were gently putting her friend in the ground even as she watched.  
  
With a cry, the girl ran to them and tried her best to get their attention. When she moved to grab them, however, she fell through them and crashed into the ground. Not understanding, the child crawled back to her feet and tried again; again she passed through the men's bodies. They were placing Kou's body in the ground now, pushing the dirt over him. Shoukaki shook her head and cried out: "Stop! Please, stop! Don't take Kou away from me!"  
  
"They won't hear you."  
  
Shoukaki whirled around to see her mother standing behind her. However the woman had looked before, she now radiated beauty, from her perfectly bound hair to her clean and crisp kimono to the flowers wrapped around her head, she was the most beautiful creature Shoukaki had ever seen. Crying, the child ran to her mother and embraced her. Her mother wrapped her arms around her daughter's shoulders and held her close.  
  
Finally, she pulled the girl away and bent down to look her in the eyes. Shoukaki stared at her mother, love and confusion and pain riddled through her eyes. The woman smiled sadly as she took her daughter's hands in hers. "Red Bird," she began, then stopped. She sighed as she began anew. "Shoukaki, from now on, things are going to be very painful for you. For whatever reason, you can't…you can't come home with me, my Red Bird. You have to stay here."  
  
The girl shook her head, not quite understanding. "Mommy…what do you mean? Why do I have to stay here? Where is home? Why can't I go there?"  
  
"Because you have something else to do."  
  
With a cry Shoukaki's shoulders went taut. She did not turn, but waited for the voice of her friend to move toward her. It did so. "Home is where we go when we die, Red Bird." Kou's voice was sad, but loving as he moved into her view and sat down on the ground beside her mother. Shoukaki started crying again and he reached over to clear away her tears. He pointed toward the men who were moving from his house to another. "They've been at it for two days. They're all that's left of the men who came to save us. Your father's men. They killed the bandits, but…they couldn't save us. Don't be sad, Red Bird. Don't cry for us."  
  
"I can't help it! You're…you're in the ground! Kou…Kou is gone…and I miss you!" She reached down and pulled out the flowers he'd given her. She reached out and tried to hand them to him. He shook his head and refused. "But…I'm giving them back, just like you wanted."  
  
He shook his head again. "I don't need them anymore, Red Bird. I get to see Mama soon." Even as he spoke he began to fade away, along with Shoukaki's mother. The girl cried out but he hushed her. "You'll come home someday, Shoukaki, I know you will. But for now, you have to stay here. You're needed here, for whatever reason."  
  
The girl cried as she watched her mother and best friend fade away. "Can't I see you here, though? Why can't I see Mommy and Kou…?"  
  
Her mother smiled sadly and reached out to stroke her cheek. "Do not worry, my Red Bird. You can still talk to me, as much as you want. I'll be with you, even if you can't see me. But…you cannot come with us. You must stay here."  
  
"I don't want to!"  
  
She nodded. "I know, my Red Bird, I know. But do not worry. You'll meet friends here, too. Right now, no one can see you, but someday you'll be able to interact with the living again. The dead will pass away and you'll forget how we fell or where we lie, but you'll be able to interact with the living. It'll be hard, living in both worlds but neither. But you're strong, my Red Bird and you'll be able to do so. You have to. And then, once it's all done, you can come home and we'll be waiting for you." She was almost completely gone now, but still her hand rested on her daughter's cheek. "Do not be afraid, my Red Bird. You are strong enough to be able to survive this. I love you."  
  
Kou nodded as he too disappeared. "Remember what I said, Red Bird. And…and know that I love you, too. I always have and I always will. Remember us and come home soon."  
  
Then they were gone.  
  
  
  
Shoukaki knelt at the pond in hers and Kou's "special place" and watched as the last of the garland he'd made sank to the bottom. The garland she'd made for his sister hung from her grave, most of the petals gone and the knots coming undone in most places. She'd let it go, though. The petals would find their spirits and they'd know what she'd done for them. And that made her happy.  
  
She watched the pond for a long time, then stood and walked out from the place. Without Kou there was no reason to return and so she didn't look back. She just wanted to give him one last gift before she began her long, lonely journey.  
  
She turned her face to the sky and sighed. "I'll be strong, Mommy, Kou. And I'll talk to you often. Don't worry about me. I can handle this. And someday, friends will come and I won't be alone anymore. So…I can handle this. But…if I feel like crying, I can do that too, right? Cause even strong people have to cry sometimes. But don't worry—I won't cry all the time.  
  
"I miss you a lot, Mommy, Kou, but I know I'll see you again. So…wait for me. I'll be coming home someday."  
  
Silently, she disappeared back into the forest and toward the village, to wait for the friends that would find her someday and help her go home. 


	8. Discovering Shadows

Hot. Frigging. DAMN, that's a long chapter…I like long chapters, but this one is…*whistles, impressed*  
  
Anyhow, I'm sorry about the delay in getting this out. I've been working a lot and haven't had much time to write, not that excuses make it any better. So I'm very sorry and I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long. You people are the best, to put up with my horrendous posting schedule. I thank you all so very, very much for sticking with me.  
  
Well, welcome to part two of Where Lost Souls Meet Again. The story is slowly coming to a close and pieces are beginning to fit together. I hope you all enjoy where the story is going. I think my writing's improved a lot since I began this and I actually find myself enjoying what I do. I'm much more familiar with the characters, that's a definite. They're still a bit out of character, but I'm not sure how to fix that. So I guess I just have to go with what I've got.  
  
As always, suggestions are welcome. I love hearing criticism, whether good or bad. Thank you all a thousand times over for reading. It's not worth it if someone doesn't enjoy it. Thank you thank you. I can't express my thanks enough.  
  
  
  
  
  
Where Lost Souls Meet Again  
  
Chapter Eight: Discovering Shadows  
  
  
  
  
  
The wind howled fiercely through the small opening in the ceiling. Its screaming could be heard far below and along the expansive tunnels, a tormenting wail as it bit against the cold stones. The entire cave was subject to the endless cries, the rocks, boulders and projections far colder than the outside. Even in the summer they stayed cool as the wind passed relentlessly over them.  
  
Sesshoumaru walked calmly through the caves, thinking. Only six months had passed since he'd attempted to take the Shikon Jewel from his brother. In those long months he'd hidden away, healing from the wounds inflicted on him when Inuyasha's woman used the power of the Jewel to destroy the demons. Had Tenseiga not been with him, the demon lord was sure that he too would have fallen to the Jewel's murderous power.  
  
Now that he was almost completely healed from his wounds, however, Sesshoumaru liked to take walks around his domain to think. After being cooped up in his castle for so long, walking through his lands was refreshing. Much had happened since he was incapacitated and he wanted to survey the change. It also gave him a chance to get away from the majority of his retinue and simply be alone.  
  
This particular cave was a favourite haunt for Inuyasha's brother and the demon stopped for a moment to look around. He absently pressed his fingers to his chest, where a large burn mark refused to go away. It didn't hurt and he was never sure why he touched it as he did, but Sesshoumaru found that this wound—his momento from the day Kagome used the Jewel—almost comforted him. Standing in this dark cave, looking at the sheer, craggy walls dripping with water from underground springs, it gave the demon lord a sense of absolute power.  
  
'Whole demon hordes were wiped out that day…thousands of my kind dissolved instantly in that flash of light but this Sesshoumaru survived.' He stopped pressing at his scar and looked down at hiss hands. 'These hands…this body…I survived because I am the strongest demon lord, protected by my own power and the strength of my father.' Tenseiga wasn't with him at the moment, but he smiled to think about it. Yes, Sesshoumaru was strong and that was why he survived that day.  
  
He survived to avenge the damage done to him and take the Shikon Jewel for himself.  
  
Because only the most powerful demon should possess the most powerful Jewel.  
  
The demon turned and continued down the wind-abused tunnels. The echo of his footsteps disappeared beneath the screeching of the wind. He walked along, heading for his favourite cave within the system. He hadn't been there since before he was injured and it was long due a visit.  
  
Walking with the mournful wind as his fanfare, Sesshoumaru's thoughts turned to that day, six months ago, when he'd almost taken possession of the Shikon Jewel. He had been so close, the power of the Jewel had virtually been his and then that human female harnessed the power to destroy over two-thirds of his kind. Even now it was mostly a blur to him what had happened but he did remember that woman holding the Jewel and chanting out a spell. The pain that lanced through his body after those words would forever be with him.  
  
'But whatever happened to her afterward? Where did she disappear to? That woman… to dare do such damage to this Sesshoumaru…to use the Jewel that rightfully belongs to me she deserves only the worst punishment. That a mere human female could best me…I do not understand this at all.  
  
'Wherever did she go, though? To simply disappear like that after using such a spell does not seem right to me. And to leave the Jewel behind, as well is even more odd. According to most stories, the Jewel is the one to disappear after use, not the one that cast the wish. Not that it matters either way; had the Jewel disappeared then there would be no way for me to harness it. As long as I know who has it, I can retrieve what is rightfully mine. I just need to know where it is. That bastard Inuyasha has it now, but if I cannot find him then I cannot find the Jewel. Perhaps I should send out a demon to find it…'  
  
Something was blinking nearby. Ignoring it, Sesshoumaru continued on, trying his best to figure out a way to track down his half-breed brother. When the persistent blinking would not go away, the demon lord reluctantly set his thoughts aside and looked around, only to find himself at his destination.  
  
Stuck in his thoughts as he was, Sesshoumaru didn't realise he'd made it to his cave until the blinking distracted him. Since the cave was lined with crystal, the youkai had simply assumed light was shining down through one of the various openings in the ceiling and refracting off the gems but as he looked around, he realised how wrong he was. This cave was beneath a fair sized plateau and the holes in the ceiling were actually on the side of that plateau. Unless the sun were rising, its light could not filter through with enough intensity to refract off the crystals. As it was, it wasn't the walls that glittered so but the large, rotating prism hovering in the centre of the cave.  
  
Warily curious, Sesshoumaru made his way to the large crystal. Regardless of how long his absence had been, no structure such as this could have possibly formed. Not counting the fact that it was floating, the structure stood about five and a half feet tall. There were seven facets along its surface—they rotated ever so slowly—and within it was a very dull, pulsing light. As the jewel turned, the facets caught the burst and flashed because of it. 'So this is the source of that blinking…But what is it? Where did it come from…?'  
  
Now within only a few feet of the crystal, Sesshoumaru stopped his advance and simply studied his finding. There was something…inside the crystal. At first he simply thought it was the reflection of the walls through the prism, but when the facets disappeared behind the shadow, he realised it was within the structure. The demon stepped forward and peered in, curious. The form looked almost human and from its chest emanated the gently pulsing light. 'What…?'  
  
Cautiously, the demon reached out his hand and placed it on the crystal's surface. It was incredibly smooth and cool to the touch. Lightly, Sesshoumaru pressed his fingers into it, only to retract them quickly when the facets slowed to a halt. Inside, the light began to pulse faster. Sesshoumaru stepped back for a moment, his head tilted to the side as he watched in fascination while the light dimmed, even as it flickered feverishly. Somewhere a dull pounding sound began—to the youkai, it sounded almost like a heartbeat. All around him, the howling wind died away.  
  
Suddenly, the crystal cracked, then shattered. The broken pieces sat suspended in the air for a moment, then slipped to the ground like liquid and vanished into the rocks below. As they melted away, the light faded away completely and only the shadow figure and the sound of a beating heart remained. When the last of the crystal bled away into the ground, there was a flash of light reminiscent of the burst that had wounded the demon six months ago. Instinctively, Sesshoumaru covered his face with his remaining arm, then dropped it as he realised the light was not an attack. Instead, he focused on the figure that hovered a foot or so above the earth, unconscious but very much alive.  
  
"What an intriguing find," he mused to himself. The heartbeat sound faded away and the screaming wind returned in full force. It plucked up the demon's hair and pulled it across his face, but not enough to cloud his vision. Between locks of silky white, Sesshoumaru stared at his brother's woman, suspended in the air and helpless before him.  
  
The demon's claws itched to reach out and shred this frail human's body. She had caused him great pain and he wished for nothing more than to destroy her utterly for her trespasses. Without even realising it, he began flexing his claws, tensing his knuckles for the strike. Nothing would bring him more pleasure than to destroy this filthy creature, to feel her weak and puny body shudder and rend apart beneath his power. Just the thought of it got his blood going and his claws were raised before he knew what he was doing. The only thing that stopped him from completing the blow was the sudden light that shot from the human's chest and lanced through his arm.  
  
Lurching from the sudden attack, Sesshoumaru looked up to see a very small being darting around the cave's ceiling. Calling on his own power, the demon lord jumped into the air, his claws raking through the atmosphere where the creature had been. Swiftly, he reversed and swung. There was a sickening smack as his open palm connected with something solid, which then connected with the cave walls. The demon returned to the ground to find a tiny version of the girl cowering against the stone, bloody and broken. It squeaked when it saw him coming.  
  
"What…have we here?" Sesshoumaru reached out and swiped again; his claws bounced back, having hit some invisible barrier. "A shield? So you are a powerful creature…or were once, at least. Your power is dwindling…you cannot keep up even that shield for very much longer. Perhaps…?" Nonchalantly, he reached forward and attempted to break through the barrier the sprite had erected. She flinched away; the shield bent in, but held out in the end. Sesshoumaru scowled, but didn't attempt to attack again. Instead he turned and walked toward Kagome's body, intent on destroying her, instead.  
  
There was a blur of light and the demon lord found himself looking at the sprite again, this time face to face. She stared at him with fear in her eyes, but did not back down. She floated halfway between himself and his prey, her arms outspread. Blood soaked into her clothes and matted her hair. "Don't go near Kagome."  
  
Sesshoumaru raised a brow in amusement, but did as he was told. The sprite seemed satisfied with this and dropped her guard. She kept her eyes focused on the demon, however. Sesshoumaru only sighed. "What are you?"  
  
The sprite didn't answer, instead staring darkly at him in the hopes it might scare him away. This was frustrating. "I asked you a question. Do not make me repeat myself."  
  
For a moment, it seemed the sprite would stay silent. Then she sighed and fell to the ground. "How did you find this place?"  
  
Ignoring, for the moment, the fact that his question hadn't been answered, Sesshoumaru replied: "This is my cave, in my lands. I come here often. Who are you to question my actions?"  
  
"This wasn't supposed to happen. No one should have been able to find us." Her voice trailed off, almost as though she were talking to herself. "It's been too long…those six months…The last of my power must be gone, if I can no longer shield the priestess from enemies. She is no longer safe here…my power is gone…" She shook her head then looked up accusingly. "You should not have survived that day."  
  
Sesshoumaru reached out and grabbed her, squeezing tightly. "Answer me, now. Who are you and what are you doing here, in my lands, in my cave?"  
  
Struggling, the sprite did her best to ignore him. The demon applied more pressure; there was a pop and the creature cried out, then slumped over. She stared dully at the claws that wrapped around her. Finally, she answered: "I am nothing…but a figment and a guide. My power is gone and my role is over…" As she spoke, her body liquefied and slipped from Sesshoumaru's hands to disappear into the ground, just as the crystal had shortly before.  
  
Sesshoumaru blinked, then opened his hand. On his palm was a spherical light almost identical to the Shikon Jewel. The demon's eyes widened in surprise as the light floated upward, then flew toward Kagome and melted into her chest. The girl shuddered, then slumped forward and slid slowly to the ground. She remained unconscious.  
  
'The Shikon Jewel…that must have been the remnants of its power. Without that small amount of power…' He looked to where Kagome lay spread across the ground, her breathing light. His eyes morphed to slits and he readied his claws. '…she has no protection any longer. So weak and frail…just like my brother. How fitting for him to have her. And how fitting for her to die by me, her brother's superior. For the pain she caused me…'  
  
He brought his claw down, intent on ripping through the human's skull, when he stopped suddenly. With his claws suspended in the air only inches from her head, Sesshoumaru's mind worked furiously with the idea that had just come to him. Slowly, he lowered his claw and simply looked at this pitiful human creature. "Woman of my brother," he said softly as his plan pieced itself together in his mind, "you will not die today. You are far too valuable, my bait. And the future I have envisioned for you will be far more painful than my claws."  
  
Sesshoumaru stood and walked from the cave to retrieve Jaken and a few other demons. Kagome's body would need to be moved to the castle. Until he could get others to move her, she could sleep on the cold cold stone. No one would hurt her as long as she was on Sesshoumaru's lands. No one but him.  
  
  
  
  
  
The morning dawned peaceful and crisp, with a fair breeze wafting through the air. The sky was clear for the most part, a few wispy clouds gathering here and there. Birds welcomed the morning cheerfully as pale sunlight broke across the horizon to bathe the ground in an ethereal glow.  
  
Inuyasha hated it.  
  
The dog-demon sat perched in a tree, scowling at the birds that fluttered past him, singing gaily. He scowled at the waking creatures that walked along the ground and snuck out from their well-hidden burrows. He even scowled at the inanimate light that illuminated half the branch on which he perched. Today was not a beautiful day to Inuyasha—in fact, it was particularly crappy.  
  
Suddenly, the branch on which the half-demon sat began to shake. With a cry, the hanyou tipped sideways and plummeted to the ground, bashing his head on the roots that snaked out from the base of the tree. Three or four smaller branched followed after, for no particular reason other than to hit him. When he was able to remove his face from the soil, the dog- demon scowled at the offending boughs.  
  
"Good morning."  
  
Turning his face upward, Inuyasha scowled at Miroku, too. Nothing was safe from his foul disposition this morning.  
  
The priest rolled his eyes and playfully smacked his friend upside the head with his staff. Said friend jumped to his feet and returned the smack with a bludgeon of his own. Miroku pulled himself to his feet from where he lay planted in the ground and glared at the half-breed in front of him. Sparks flew. "What was that for?"  
  
Inuyasha "hmphed" and folded his arms across his chest; smugly he turned his back on the priest and explained: "You hit me, it was only fair."  
  
With a thwack, the staff came down, adding another lump to Inuyasha's already bumpy skull. Spinning around in fury, he clenched his fists and glared after his friend as the monk made his way back to the fire. "That wasn't fair!" he cried out.  
  
The monk shrugged. "That's the way life is, my friend. You should know that by now. Now come over here and eat breakfast. We have a long day ahead of us, you know."  
  
'You don't need to remind me,' the hanyou pouted. He stood still a few moments more, glaring heatedly in Miroku's direction. 'That bastard monk has no right to hit me like that. I didn't even do anything…Hey, that smells good…No! I'm hating the monk right now! I'm not supposed to be thinking of food!' His stomach, however, had other plans and rumbled plaintively. Inuyasha stared at it, then sighed and began trudging over to where the others were eating breakfast. 'Life sucks, it really does.'  
  
Already sitting around the fire were Shoukaki, Miroku and Sango. Nearby, resting peacefully, was Shippou. He was still healing and Sango preferred he not move to the fire, lest he use up what strength he had for healing. Inuyasha thought she was being stupid, but didn't say so. Sango was frightening when she wanted to be. So instead, the demon hunter made breakfast and took a serving for her and the kitsune, then let the boys fight between themselves over the leftovers. Shoukaki never ate. Inuyasha didn't think she could.  
  
Pouting, but with a hungry stomach, the dog-demon plopped down next to the phantom girl. Shoukaki smiled pleasantly at him. She was adorable when she wasn't homicidal, Inuyasha thought. He mentally slapped himself. That was no way to think of a child.  
  
The girl in question laughed and gently patted her companion on the shoulder. "It's all right, Inuyasha, I don't mind." Then she turned to the fire and watched as the last of the pig finished cooking. They'd have had more left over, but after the fight with Sesshoumaru the day before, everyone had been especially hungry and the leftovers from the previous pig roast disappeared fast.  
  
'Sesshoumaru…' Inuyasha thought. He made a face as he saw his brother, standing so smugly over him, making demands. 'That bastard…I'll kill him. Especially for whatever he did to Kagome.' The half-demon paused in his thoughts as an image of the woman he loved formed in his mind's eye. She was holding her chest painfully and telling him to run away. She was moving like one possessed as she pulled back on a bowstring and let fly a deadly arrow. Inuyasha suddenly found that he had no appetite. 'For whatever he did to Kagome, I'll pay him back a hundred-fold.'  
  
Something was pulling on his sleeve. Inuyasha shook his head to clear his thoughts and looked down. Shoukaki was watching him with thoughtful eyes; she looked almost sad. The dog-demon smiled at her. "Yes, Shoukaki?"  
  
The little girl smiled, too. "It's nice to see you smile, Inuyasha. And thanks for calling me by my name; I very much like that." She paused and watched the fire over which their food cooked. Then she turned back to him. Her voice was subdued as she said: "I talked to Mommy last night. She's worried about you."  
  
Inuyasha blinked. "'Mommy?' I thought…"  
  
"She was dead? She is. She's been dead a very long time…" The phantom trailed off, lost in thought. "You know, I don't even remember how long ago we died. Isn't that funny? I've been alone here for years, but I don't know how long exactly. I'm sure it's been at least a hundred years or so." She sighed, then shrugged and continued along her original vein. "Anyhow, Mommy is worried about you. She thinks you're obsessing over beating your brother too much."  
  
For a moment, Inuyasha just stared, dumbfounded. Well of course he wanted to beat his brother! Especially after yesterday's fiasco. "How do you mean, 'obsessing?' I think I'm completely in the right, here." He frowned. "And how can you talk to your mother, anyhow? I mean…she's dead. You can't talk to the dead."  
  
The girl shrugged. "I'm dead too, Inuyasha. I just can't go home. And I think I can talk to Mommy because otherwise I'd be completely alone. It's not natural to have to stay behind when you die, so I think I get to talk to Mommy as a type of…perk, I guess you could say. But anyway, she says you're obsessing because you think more of hurting your brother than saving Kagome."  
  
He agreed. "Damn straight. He deserves to die even more now, because of what he did to her. You expect me to just sit back and ignore what he did? How could I live with myself if I didn't pay him back?"  
  
"But," Shoukaki continued, her eyes focused on the fire, where Sango was carving up the meat into a serving for herself and Shippou, "isn't Kagome the woman you love? Wanting her safe and being with her should override the bloodlust you have for your brother. Shouldn't her well-being come first?"  
  
Inuyasha spluttered. Wasn't he thinking of her welfare when he thought about killing his brother? 'If he was gone, she'd be safe, wouldn't she?' He thought about it. Surely, if he got rid of his brother, then Kagome would be safe. He was thinking of her well-being. Next to him, Shoukaki was shaking her head. It was unnerving, when she did that. 'It's like she's looking right into my brain…And besides, when did it become so open and easy for everyone to talk about Kagome as 'the woman I love?' It's disconcerting.'  
  
Shoukaki "tsked." "It's only disconcerting because you don't like to admit to your own feelings." She smiled when her companion stared at her with large eyes. "And think about it, Inuyasha. Getting rid of your brother is all well and good, but Kagome is still a prisoner. You never think about how to rescue her or help her get out of whatever spell forced her to attack you. Also," she continued as the hanyou opened his mouth to respond, "what about when you actually fight your brother? Sesshoumaru is very powerful; how do you know Kagome won't be hurt in the battle? She's a captive, after all. Where could she run to?"  
  
"I agree."  
  
Inuyasha started as Sango took a seat next to him. She held out some meat for him to take. "Here, breakfast." Nodding slowly, the half-breed took it, eyeing the demon hunter suspiciously. She eyed him back, then smacked her friend upside the head. "Stop that, it's annoying." He did as he was instructed and glumly began chomping away at his pig meat. Sango nodded in approval.  
  
The phantom girl watched the older woman for a moment, then asked: "What part do you agree with, Big Sister?"  
  
Sango daintily chewed on her portion of food as she thought. After swallowing, she replied: "That he thinks too much about killing Sesshoumaru and not enough about saving Kagome. While it's true that getting rid of that monster would in fact help—and in the long run protect Kagome a lot—the fact that she is a prisoner and obviously under some sort of spell makes killing the demon a difficult task. We don't know how he can control her or what sort of power he has over her, as well as the possibility that a fight between you two just might kill her due to backlash. Did you notice how she was moving in the end?"  
  
Both Inuyasha and Shoukaki nodded. "She looked like a puppet," Inuyasha chimed in around a mouthful of food. "It was almost as if someone were moving her body. She said something about not being able to control it, as well. Maybe she meant a spell?"  
  
"I doubt it."  
  
Everyone's gaze turned to Miroku as he nonchalantly plopped himself down next to Sango. Everyone's gaze also turned sour as Sango smacked the priest for putting his hand a little too close to her behind. The red handprint on his face moved with his jaw as he said: "I don't think a spell was cast on Kagome."  
  
The others blinked in unison and waited patiently for their perverted friend to continue. For his part, the monk took his sweet time in finishing his thought—or his mouthful of breakfast, whichever way you wanted to look at it. Annoyed and out of patience, Inuyasha demanded: "What do you mean she's not under a spell? You saw how she moved and acted! She was obviously being controlled!"  
  
Miroku shook his head and raised a finger to ward off any further tirades by the half-demon, but kept chewing at his infuriatingly slow pace. When he finally swallowed, Inuyasha was ready to pound the monk's head with a shaking fist.  
  
"Anyhow, as I was saying, I don't think a spell was cast on Kagome."  
  
Inuyasha growled: "You've already said that, priest. Get on with it."  
  
Said priest only raised an eyebrow and took his sweet time chewing. "I believe," he continued, while his companions sat ready to pummel him, "that she is being Shadowed."  
  
All eyebrows rose inquisitively. "Shadowed?" Sango ventured.  
  
He nodded. "Yes, Shadowed. It's a very old practice—so old, actually, that there isn't much known about it—and difficult to master. It's even more difficult to find someone that can Shadow, as most of the masters keep to themselves in the mountains or tucked away in forests and rarely make contact with the outside world. I believe Sesshoumaru found a Shadow master and has him controlling Kagome."  
  
"If it's so old," Inuyasha asked accusingly, "how is it that you know about it at all?"  
  
Miroku shrugged. "I am a monk of many secrets. And I have travelled around quite a bit. You pick up these things." He frowned. "Even so, I only know what it is. My knowledge doesn't extend much farther than that. I'm sorry I can't help more."  
  
"'Shadowed…'" Sango whispered softly. She stared down at her food, contemplating what this might mean. A spell was one thing, but this 'Shadowing' had her very worried. 'We don't even know much about it…How can we possibly beat this? Poor Kagome…' Sango sighed with her thoughts while the others thought about what the monk had said. 'Maybe Kaede knows something that would help. I can only hope…'  
  
The group sat together in silence for a while, everyone processing Miroku's information. Suddenly, Shoukaki's eyes lit up and she laughed happily. "I remember!" she stated when Sango asked what was wrong. "I remember hearing about Shadow masters a long time ago! They're usually fox- demons, but anyone can do it once they learn the technique. A lot of times, instead of using assassins, government officials would hire Shadow masters to manipulate their adversaries. The technique of a Shadow master is to latch onto the person they're Shadowing and control their body using wires, strings and suggestion. Sometimes they actually hold them, too. But that was long ago that I learned about them; I can't believe they might still be in use. It's an old art and it was fading away while I was still alive."  
  
Miroku sighed and took another bite of food. "It would appear, however, that Sesshoumaru found one. It would explain why Kagome could tell you to run away and that she couldn't control herself, as well as how woodenly she moved. Which means," the monk continued, looking directly at Inuyasha, "if you want to save Kagome, I would refocus my thoughts from killing Sesshoumaru to finding that Shadow master. Then you can take your brother on."  
  
Silent, Inuyasha stared at the food in his hands and thought about it. 'Destroy the Shadow master instead, huh? If it'll save Kagome…if it'll save her, I'd travel to Hell and back. If it'll save her, I can let my brother live a little longer. Shadow master…I'll find you and I'll save Kagome. Nothing can make me turn from that goal. Nothing.'  
  
Sango peeked at her half-demon companion from the corner of her eye and smiled at the determined set of his jaw. His eyes were firm and his entire pose radiated strength. She wouldn't have to worry about him making the wrong decision; she could tell he'd already decided to save Kagome from the Shadow master, instead of hunting down his brother. 'You're a good person, Inuyasha, regardless of what you want to think. Thank you for making the right decision.' Out loud, she said: "Well, if that's settled, I think maybe we should go and see Kaede. Not only can I pick up Kirara, but maybe she'll know something about this Shadow master that will help."  
  
For a moment no one said anything, then Inuyasha's ears twitched and he turned to Sango, hair bristling. "'Settled'? What are you talking about? I never agreed to stop chasing Sesshoumaru!"  
  
The demon hunter laughed and playfully smacked the hanyou on his shoulder. He pouted and rubbed the spot. "Baby," she joked, then continued: "I know you, Inuyasha. And I know you decided to go after the Shadow master instead of your brother, because Kagome is more important to you than revenge. As much as you don't want others to know, you're a softy through and through and your heart won't let you do anything that might endanger the woman you love." She laughed harder at the fire-red flush that suddenly overtook her friend's face. After she sobered up a little, she asked again: "So what say you to going and seeing Kaede, hmm?"  
  
The dog-demon spluttered for a moment, then meekly nodded. Sango clapped her hands and turned to the others. "Well then. I figure it'll take about…two days or so to get to the Western Falls, as long as we all travel as fast as we can. It'll take a couple of days to reach Kaede's village; however, even with the detour, I figure we can get to Sesshoumaru in five days. That leaves plenty of time to save Kagome." She glanced at all those gathered and nodded when they agreed with her calculations. "Very well, then. Tomorrow we leave for the village. I want Shippou to rest for the rest of the day. I'm sure Kaede will watch over him at the village while we go to save Kagome. As much as I love the little kitsune, he's wounded and he'll only slow us down. Plus he needs his rest." She eyed those gathered and grinned. "So do the rest of you. So get to bed early tonight; we've got a long day ahead of us."  
  
With that, the demon hunter stood and went to clean out her bowl in a nearby pool. Miroku stared at his unfinished food and pouted. "It's still only morning and she's already telling us to go to bed early, as though we're little children." He shrugged and got up to wash his own bowl. "Oh well, women will be women, I guess. In the meantime, we can discuss strategies for saving Kagome from the Shadow master. Would you like to join us, little one?" the priest asked, looking at Shoukaki. The ghost girl blinked, then shook her head. He nodded. "Very well. Come on, Inuyasha. We've got a long day ahead of us."  
  
Inuyasha nodded, downed the rest of his breakfast and brushed off his hands. Muttering something about weak humans always cramping his style, the half-demon stalked off to where the monk and demon hunter were washing off their dishes. Shoukaki giggled after him, amused, then stood up and walked over to where Shippou lay, seemingly asleep. The phantom knelt down beside him and quietly hummed, content to sit next to her friend while he dozed.  
  
Movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention and the girl stopped her listless humming to watch the sleeping kitsune, instead. Shippou wriggled about a bit, just a little, but enough for Shoukaki to notice the movement. Smiling, she leaned over and pulled one of the numerous blankets the group had given him up around his shoulders. 'He must be dreaming, the little kitsune. I feel sorry for him, though. He'll probably get left behind. He won't like that at all—he loves Kagome so much.' Idly, she remembered the first day she'd met the fox-demon, when she'd travelled into his heart and seen the source of his fears. That day seemed so long ago, but it'd only been a few weeks, at most. 'So much has happened since then…I wonder if, when it all ends, I'll still be alone here? I've grown used to the company of others; I don't want to be alone anymore.'  
  
Gently, Shoukaki stroked her friend's shoulder and she began humming again. The melody was something her mother had sung to her often when she couldn't sleep and the girl found that the tune brought her comfort when she was faced with loneliness. Maybe she could comfort her little kitsune's dreams, as well.  
  
Suddenly, Shoukaki realised that Shippou wasn't just fidgeting from dreams. She could hear, very faintly, sniffles coming from beneath the blankets. Realisation dawned on the child and she very carefully pulled the fabric away from her companion's face.  
  
Tears sprinkled his slightly burned fur and ran along his nose toward the earth. Roughly, the kitsune wiped at his face, trying to pretend he hadn't been crying. Shoukaki looked at him with sad eyes and reached down to comfort him; the fox-demon shied from her fingers, burying his face in the soft grass. Hurt, the ghost girl retracted her hands and placed them in her lap. "I'm sorry…" she apologised in a whisper. Her fingers wove together, then unwound periodically. "I can go, if you want…"  
  
"No…please stay. I'm sorry." His response was faint and slightly choked, but sincere. Shoukaki nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see her and stayed where she was.  
  
For a few minutes, nothing else was said, then another whisper drifted up from where the kitsune lay beneath his blankets. "I don't want to stay behind."  
  
Shoukaki sighed and instinctively reached out to pat him, like her mother had done for her when she was still alive. This time Shippou didn't cringe away; that fact brought a small smile to the phantom's lips. Then she bit her lip and sighed. "I know you don't, little kitsune, but you're wounded and travelling isn't good for someone who is hurt. Sango is only looking out for your well-being."  
  
"Sango, or all of you?"  
  
His inquisition caught her off guard. Well, it wasn't so much an inquisition as an accusation. The child sat silent a moment, then nodded. "All of us. And, as mean as it sounds, it's also because we don't—"  
  
"Want me to slow you down, I know." Shippou wriggled about until he was lying on his other side, looking at his friend with watery, red eyes. He sniffled, but didn't cry. Instead, he continued on, his voice gaining strength as he talked. "But I know I won't slow you down! I'm a demon, after all; we heal quickly and I have my fox-fire to help! Plus I can ride on Inuyasha or Kirara, so I won't be slowing everyone down! And I can help, too. I'm the one that saved Inuyasha from both the kitsune assassin and Ka—" He cut himself off suddenly, then finished slowly: "Kagome's arrow…I need to know she's going to be all right. I need to see her saved, Shoukaki! Please…don't let them leave me behind…!"  
  
The ghost stared at him for a long time, speechless. His sincerity made her insides ache terribly, because she knew that Inuyasha and Sango would never let the little kitsune go. No matter how much he pleaded or begged or demanded, the would never let the injured demon accompany them. 'Regardless of how much he wants to be there, needs to be there, they'll never let him go.' She couldn't look at him as she spoke her thoughts. "You know they'll never let you go, little kitsune. No matter what you say…they'll never let you go…"  
  
He glared at her and sat up, furious. "How would you know? You don't know anything about us! You only just met us, how could you possibly know what they're going to say?!" His breathing was heavy as he faced her. Shoukaki just sat still, utterly devastated by what he'd said. Climbing to his feet, Shippou continued: "Kagome means everything to me and I will see her saved. Inuyasha and Sango know this. All I have to do is talk to them and they'll let me go! You don't know anything about us, so you might as well not tell me what they'll say. You might as well not go with us, anyhow, because you don't even know Kagome and it doesn't concern you at all!" Huffing, he ran toward where the older members of the group sat, discussing strategies on how to defeat the Shadow master.  
  
Shoukaki simply sat, staring dumbly at the place Shippou had just vacated.  
  
Inside, she knew what he said wasn't true. Even though she had only known him for a few weeks, Shoukaki knew that Shippou was not volatile—he wasn't cruel and vicious like she'd just seen. Being hurt like he was and then being told that he couldn't help to save one of his most treasured people—especially after all he'd gone through since she'd disappeared and all he'd done to help the others during the recent clashes—had set him over the edge.  
  
Knowing all this didn't make the pain of his words any less, though. She knew that he didn't mean any of it and his words were reactionary, but still Shoukaki dwelt on his accusations. For the longest time she simply sat and stared and thought about what he'd said, oblivious to the passing time.  
  
A hand on her shoulder brought her back to the world at present. Looking up, she saw that the sun was already past its climax and lazily meandering across the afternoon sky. At the same time she took in this time change, she noticed that the hand on her shoulder was fairly small and almost paw- like. Biting her lip, she turned her face up to look at Shippou and smiled. Though she didn't mean it, she said cheerfully: "I'm sorry about earlier, little kitsune. I wasn't thinking. And you're right: I don't know you all that well—I don't know Kagome at all—and I shouldn't have said anything. So I'm sorr—"  
  
With a small cry, the kitsune collapsed against his friend and began crying into her shoulder. Slowly, the girl wrapped her arms around him and began rocking back and forth, shushing him quietly. When that wasn't enough to quiet his tears, she began humming again, like she had while he "slept." At first, it didn't seem to do anything, but slowly the boy began to quiet down and his sobs disappeared.  
  
After he was finished, Shippou sat back and wiped his face. Unable to look at her, he said: "I'm sorry, Shoukaki. You were right—they won't let me go. You were always right. I…I just got so upset, because I knew that you were right and I didn't want you to be. I'm sorry I said all those evil things to you…I didn't mean them. I know that doesn't help any, because I know I hurt you, but all I can do is apologise." He sniffled and his tears began anew. "I'm so sorry I got mad at you. It's just that I want to see Kagome again and…and…"  
  
Shoukaki held the demon boy close and rocked him back and forth as he cried some more. "Shh, it's all right, little kitsune. It's all right." Quietly, she hummed for him, then sang, ever so softly. The words were too quiet to hear, but somehow they soothed him and soon Shippou was asleep, his arms wrapped around her waist and his head resting on her chest. Shoukaki smiled and kept him close, her song ending only when his steady breathing assured her he was asleep.  
  
Nearby, Sango sighed and walked back toward where the others sat. She felt bad, because she knew how much Shippou wanted to go, but it was just too difficult to take him. They couldn't watch over both him and Kagome, while fighting Sesshoumaru and this Shadow master, whom they knew nothing of. In the end, it was best to leave the kitsune with Kaede, where he could heal safely. Then, when Kagome came back, he'd be there to greet her.  
  
Folding down next to the boys, the demon hunter let out an explosive sigh. "Well, hopefully he'll settle down by tomorrow morning. I feel bad, but it's the best way."  
  
Inuyasha nodded. No matter how rough he was with the fox-demon or how careless he seemed, Sango knew he cared just as much for the smallest member of their party as the rest of them and he was only looking out for Shippou's welfare. "And we can talk to Kaede about the best course of action against this Shadow master thing while we're there. Then we're off to save Kagome."  
  
"Yes, that would seem to be our best course of action," Miroku agreed. He glanced over to where Shoukaki was lying Shippou down and covering him with blankets. "And you're right—in the end, it'll be better this way. Surely."  
  
The three silently agreed and spent the rest of the day discussing travelling courses and the roads they'd take. The sun continued his tireless journey toward the horizon, taking the light along with him.  
  
  
  
In the darkness of the early night, a small shadow crept out from the camp and bounded away into the surrounding woods. There was no sound and no trace of departure, other than a quiet rustling of leaves that drifted back to the ground.  
  
A set of eyes watched the shadow depart. With a breathy sigh, another shadow detached itself from the night and followed its companion into the darkness, silent and forgotten the moment it passed. 


	9. The Worth of One's Heart

Well now…that was an obscene amount of time since I last updated. Hot diggety damn. Oh well.  
  
Thanks to everyone who keeps reading. I'm glad you like my little story. And I'm glad I was able to entertain others with what's running around in my little head.  
  
A little note here. I know veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery little about Rin. I know who she is, I know what she's like to a certain extent, but I am far from being a Rin expert. I really wanted—well, needed, actually—her in this story, though. (anything to give Sesshoumaru more screen-time ^-^x) I've taken some leeway though, since it's my story and it technically takes place about two years after they meet her and all. So some of her vocal nuances are different—she doesn't talk in the third person all the time and she's slightly more mature. This is also a slightly alternate reality fic, so…I'm allowed my little perks. I'm the author, I say so.  
  
Again, though, I apologise for the out of character moments and my lack of ability to write other people's characters. I hope you like this chapter and keep with me for the rest. Thank you all so very much.  
  
  
  
  
  
Where Lost Souls Meet Again  
  
Chapter Nine: The Worth of One's Heart  
  
  
  
  
  
It was an incredible morning. It was one of those mornings where you simply sit and look at the sky, set aflame by the rising sun, the clouds pink and gold, the wind crisp and think to yourself: Gosh, this is just such an incredible morning!  
  
And it was this incredible morning that Kagome awoke to, blinking the brilliance from her eyes.  
  
Confusion hit her all at once the moment sleep finally drifted from her blurry eyes. Where was she? What was she doing here? Nearby she could hear a thunderous roar and it reminded her of when she first awoke after her long, long sleep. Was she near the ocean again? She couldn't remember where she was or what was going on.  
  
Turning her head slightly to the side in the direction of the noise, the girl could vaguely make out the edge of a very large waterfall, mist billowing at its bottom while it cascaded relentlessly down the craggy rock face. A pool swirled beneath, then veered off into a fair sized river that faded away into the distance. Toward the centre of the lake, where the water was calmer, a fish shot out from the depths, glimmering in the rays of the morning sun.  
  
'Where am I? I don't understand…what's going on…?' Carefully, Kagome pushed herself to a sitting position; nausea overtook her momentarily and she had to fight the urge to sick up all over herself. Shutting her eyes tightly, the girl fought off the feeling, holding her stomach with one arm and covering her mouth with her other hand. She rocked back and forth gently. When the feeling finally subsided, she opened her eyes again and surveyed her surroundings in more detail.  
  
There was the waterfall and the lake, as well as the river. In the distance were some trees—from what she could tell they formed a forest—and behind her was a small range of mountains. The water was coming from that direction. She shook her head. None of this was familiar.  
  
'Whatever happened to looking for Inuyasha? The last thing I remember was that stupid Sesshoumaru talking about killing his brother, then I tried to run away and something grabbed me…' Suddenly, the sick feeling came back and it was all Kagome could do not to break down right then and there. Memories flooded her mind, images that took place after the encounter in the castle. She could see Inuyasha, his eyes filled with pain; she could see Shippou crying and saying that the arrow that had hit Inuyasha was hers; she could feel those invisible hands on her, pulling the bowstring taut. Her own voice echoed in the chasms of her mind: "Run away, Inuyasha. I can't control it. Run away." With a whimper the girl covered her face in the hopes of dispelling the memories. 'No...! I don't want to remember this…! I didn't attack Inuyasha, I didn't!' But no matter how she cried to herself, the images wouldn't cease. Inuyasha's tortured face was burned into her mind's eye.  
  
There was a rustling noise off to her left and Kagome whipped her head around to see who was approaching. A little girl, no older than how Shippou had looked—Kagome nearly lost it again at the thought—approached cautiously. A bowl was in her hands, steam rising off it. The little girl carried it carefully, like the contents were the most important thing in the world; her little tongue poked out of the side of her mouth slightly in concentration. When she reached Kagome, the child very carefully set the bowl down on the ground in front her the older woman, then took a seat herself, smiling.  
  
"Look, I didn't spill any of the soup! I did good!"  
  
Taken aback by the child being at this place, Kagome only nodded, her mouth hanging open slightly. The girl looked at her, frowning slightly, then tilted her head to the side and blinked. Kagome blinked back. Together, they blinked a third time, then the little girl reached up and brushed at Kagome's cheek tenderly. Retracting her small hands, she looked intently at the liquid pooled on her fingertips. She bit her lower lip. "Big Sister, why are you crying?"  
  
Blinking back more tears, Kagome reached out and gently touched the little girl's face. "Rin…what are you doing here…?"  
  
Rin smiled and pointed off toward the waterfall. Kagome squinted and followed the child's pointing finger, able to make out the vague shadows of two—no three—people, standing by the pool's edge. "I came to see Lord Sesshoumaru!" Rin's voice piped in, off to the side. Kagome nodded without looking back at the girl and for her part, Rin just kept going. "Lord Sesshoumaru's castle is really close to here and he brings me here sometimes to play. One of the servants told me he was coming back here for a little bit so I came out to see him, cause he was gone for so long." She paused and Kagome turned back to look at her; she could barely suppress the smile that touched her lips as she watched her companion stare in the direction Sesshoumaru was standing, her small eyes squinted, lips pursed and finger lightly tapping her puffed out cheeks. "For some reason, though, he was mad at me when I came here. He told me to go home, but…" She smiled and turned back to the older girl with her: "Of course I didn't listen, since Lord Sesshoumaru tells me to go home a lot!"  
  
A fit of giggles overtook the child then and she couldn't talk for a few minutes. Kagome simply sat and watched, a smile playing on her lips. For the moment, thoughts of arrows and saddened dog-demons fled the priestess' mind as she immersed herself in childish charms. Rin just kept laughing at her own personal joke, until her laughter finally died away. Smiling, she pointed to the bowl still sitting on the ground. "I brought you breakfast, Big Sister. Jaken didn't want me to, but I just stepped on his toes, stuck my tongue out at him and did so anyway. Jaken can be so mean sometimes, don't you agree?"  
  
Kagome nodded and laughed lightly. Reaching down, she picked up the bowl and drew it to her lips. The liquid inside was cooled, but flavourful as it ran down the girl's throat. Setting it back down, the priestess was amazed to find it empty and her stomach growling for more. She blushed. "I didn't even realise I was hungry…"  
  
Rin nodded and hopped up, taking the bowl with her. "I'll go get you some more, so just wait here, okay?" She turned and headed back into the brush, humming quietly. Before she was completely gone, however, she turned back around and smiled at the older woman sitting on the morning grass. "Don't cry, Big Sister, I'll be back soon. And I'll have food, so don't cry." Then she was gone.  
  
After she left, silence reigned over the small, sunlit area in which Kagome sat. Leaning back, she looked up at the sky, scanning the pinked clouds. She smiled as she began to play a favourite old game of hers: name that cloud. When she was little she had played this game often with her mother and grandfather. After Souta was born, she played it with him, too. Many a summer hour had been lost beneath the open sky and to the ever- changing clouds. The game was comforting and reminded her of home, so Kagome played it now, hoping to calm her nerves.  
  
One by one she picked clouds and thought up what they looked like. Why, just over there was a small bird, swooping across the sky. And over there was a flower just about to bloom. A cat, a Christmas tree, a fork…many other images passed by as the clouds danced lazily across the sky. And there, a dog-demon…  
  
With a start, Kagome sat up. Angrily, she scrubbed the tears from her eyes and stared dully at the ground. She was doing it again, like when she was at the castle, staring up at the ceiling. Before, while looking at her "stars," she'd cried because she wanted to see Inuyasha again. Now she cried because she had and the memories flooded back. Try as she might, the human did her best to follow Rin's advice, but nothing would stop the tears from coming.  
  
It didn't make sense! Why would she shoot an arrow—no, two arrows—at Inuyasha? All she wanted to do was see him again. She could see that day so plainly; she could feel his arms around her, hear his voice as he held her close and told her never to leave again. She could hear it all, feel it all. And then there was the rough embrace of wood, the taut bowstring and the awful, sickening sound of an arrow let loose, the whizzing noise as it shot through the air the most vile in all the world. His eyes, so full of pain. He'd asked why and Kagome couldn't answer. She could only tell him to run away, because she couldn't control herself. Hands gripped her arms and dragged her along like a puppet and she was powerless to stop it. But she couldn't tell him that, she could only tell him to run away.  
  
Clutching her belly, the priestess watched her tears fall to the grass. Those hands, those same hands that had grabbed her when she tried to run away, were responsible for hurting Inuyasha so badly. But there was nothing she could do about it! How could she fight what was invisible? And worse, how could she face Inuyasha, knowing how powerless she was and that, in the end, it was her that shot him with an arrow. She was no better than Kikyou; both women manipulated by an outside force, both women the cause of one half-demon's suffering. How could she even live with herself, knowing the pain she'd caused him and seen in his eyes?  
  
'I can't face him now. I can't possibly atone for bringing him so much pain. First I took his wish, then I shot him. I've hurt him so much, how can I make it up to him? I can't…surely…' Without realising it, the girl began to scan the ground for anything sharp. How can I live with myself…? How can I live…?'  
  
Choking back sobs, Kagome covered her face and cried harder. This was so wrong! Why was Inuyasha always hurt? And why did she have to do it? And now she was having these terrible thoughts, as well. If anything were to hurt the half-demon most, it would be if Kagome gave up and followed through with her delusional plans. How could she even think of hurting him so much, especially after all the hell she'd put him through these past eight months? 'What is wrong with me…?!'  
  
Just then, the bushes off to the left rustled again and Rin reappeared, carrying a steaming bowl of soup. Making her way over carefully, the child set her parcel down gently in front of Kagome, then scooted over to the side and wrapped her tiny arms around the older girl. "Aww, Big Sister, you're crying again…Please, don't cry…Rin is sad when you cry, because that makes everyone else sad. Even the sky becomes sad when you cry, see?" She pointed up to the heavens, where clouds were brushing against the rising sun, blotting out the pale light. "Please don't cry…I don't want you to cry…and the sky doesn't want to be sad, either…"  
  
Sniffling, Kagome nodded and pushed herself away from Rin. The child frowned, but made no move to come closer. Instead, she scooted back over to the bowl of soup, picked it up and handed it to Kagome. "Here, this will make you feel better. I always cry when I'm hungry, too. And even if I'm not hungry, I'll cry sometimes, but soup makes me feel better. Rin sometimes wishes the sky could eat soup, too, so that it won't be sad anymore, either. Soup makes everyone feel better, so please eat it. Then you won't cry anymore."  
  
Kagome nodded and took the bowl; the soup burned her tongue as she drank and she had to pull it away. Rin giggled—she was a child, after all and even someone burning their tongue could be funny—and Kagome couldn't help but giggle a little, too. Then she sighed and set the bowl down. Rin was right; she needed to stop crying. It was hard, but she needed to. Maybe…maybe Rin would be able to help her with that daunting task.  
  
"Rin, thank you." The girl blinked, confused. Kagome smiled. "You made me stop crying, so thank you. I shouldn't be crying, because I'm a lot stronger than that. And I don't want to make you cry." Playfully, she ruffled the little girl's hair. "So, do you think you could help me stay strong and not cry? I'm sure that, together, we could keep the sky from being sad, too. So, will you help me?"  
  
Smiling broadly, Rin nodded. "Yep! Rin will help Big Sister stop crying, so that Rin doesn't cry too!"  
  
Kagome smiled. Then she stood up and faced toward where Sesshoumaru still stood along the water's edge. Rin scrambled to her feet and stood beside her, adopting the same pose and grim facial expression that Kagome wore. The older woman laughed at the sight and her companion giggled. Taking a deep breath, Kagome steeled herself. 'Time to face my demons… literally. And there is no way I'm losing this fight, either. Prepare yourself, Sesshoumaru. Higurashi Kagome is coming after you.'  
  
Determined, Kagome strode down to the water, the sun rising slowly in the sky. From where he stood, Sesshoumaru's ears twitched and he turned to face the approaching women. Next to him, Jaken started and skittered to the front, staff held high. Behind the demon lord lurked another, but Kagome couldn't make him out. He didn't matter, anyhow; she was after Sesshoumaru.  
  
Stomping to a stop, Kagome pointed a finger at her captor and opened her mouth to ask him just what the hell was going on and where they were, among other things, when the demon lord gave her such a glare that the words literally fell from her lips. Spluttering, Kagome did her best to regain her argument. In the meantime, Sesshoumaru turned his attention to his captive's stalwart companion, who was giggling at her friend's sudden gagging spell.  
  
"Rin, I thought I told you to return to the castle. I see that you have disobeyed me once again. Not only that, but you are fraternising with my enemy. Explain yourself."  
  
Jaken nodded emphatically, hopping forward to stare at the girl at almost eye level. Rin was a good three or four inches taller than the toad and blinked down at him as he began lecturing her. "You should listen to Lord Sesshoumaru, whelp. It is because of his good graces that you are even here today and to show such disrespect for his orders is a terrible crime! And you fed this prisoner as well, didn't you? After I distinctly told you not t—"  
  
Rin idly removed her fist from the top of Jaken's head where she bopped him to shut him up. Puffing out her cheeks, she turned back to Sesshoumaru, who was still waiting for an answer. "Well, you always tell me to go home, even when nothing is wrong and I didn't want to leave again after just getting here. And Big Sister was all by herself and she looked so sad this morning when I brought her breakfast, so I decided that it would be best to stay to cheer her up. Besides, you always bring me here and I know that it's a safe place so I figured you told me to go home just because you're being a grump."  
  
Sesshoumaru hmphed. "You are not one to take matters into her own hands, nor are you one to question my authority. You will return home before today ends. If necessary, I will have Jaken escort you." At this, Rin made a face and Kagome almost laughed out loud. The demon lord ignored it and continued. "For now, you may stay here, by the lake. My brother's woman will watch over you until your departure. I take it that is well with you, woman of my brother?"  
  
Speechless, Kagome just nodded. Sesshoumaru stared at her a moment longer, then turned and walked away. Jaken scurried after him; Rin stuck her tongue out at him as he left. When the demons were gone, the humans sat down on the ground and stared at the water. Kagome sighed. 'So much for facing my demons.' She plopped her face down into her palms and mumbled: "Today is not a good day at all."  
  
  
  
That same morning found Shippou wandering around in the woods, Shoukaki following after like a curious spectator. The ghost stayed a set six or so paces behind her fox-demon friend as the kitsune tore his way through underbrush, growling and cursing as he went. He needed to vent and who was she to get in the way of frustration? She figured he could only keep it up so long and so she'd follow after him at a safe, but close distance, to be there for him when he finally calmed down.  
  
They'd been walking since earlier that morning, when Shippou crept from the camp in the dark of night. Well, it'd be more accurate to say that Shippou had walked, since Shoukaki spent most of that time floating in the air behind him, listening to him talk about how unfair the others were and that he'd show them.  
  
"I can't believe them!" he'd cried, tearing at an un-offending bush. "'You can't go, Shippou, you're injured and you'll just slow us down.' Bah! They just don't care that I love Kagome too! It's always: 'Well, we're the adults and you're the child, so you stay here where it's safe and we'll fight instead. You're too weak to be of any help, after all.' I'm just as strong as any of them! I grew up just to prove that to them! I took on responsibility that they will never fully understand and they just call me a child! I hate them!"  
  
Shoukaki floated beside him, her head cocked to one side. "And do you tell them all of this? About your responsibility and how you've grown?"  
  
Shippou glared at her so fiercely that the ghost raised her hands in defence. "Sorry, sorry! That was a silly question. But really, why do you think they say those things?"  
  
For a moment it looked like the kitsune was going to repeat what he'd just said about them, then he shook his head and shrugged. "I don't know. I do everything I can to show them that I'm strong and can take care of myself and all I'm ever told is that I can't help. It's terrible! If all I'm ever treated as is a child, how can I become as strong as my papa was and be a real fox-demon? They're just holding me back, that's all." He sighed and stared at the ground, disgruntled. "It's not fair. I want to save Kagome, too."  
  
"And that's why we're out here, in the middle of the night, smashing our way through the brush." In the dark, Shoukaki could see Shippou give her a flat look and she laughed. "Okay, okay, you're smashing your way through the brush and I'm just following along. My bad." She laughed and her friend blushed slightly. "But, anyhow, I don't think you quite understand where they're coming from, either. I mean, you are only a child."  
  
At her words, Shippou turned around and glared at her, ready to respond heavily. Shoukaki silenced him with a look that equalled his own previous glares. When she was sure he'd be quiet, the phantom continued. "A child can only do so much. We can't fight like adults, we don't have the reflexes or the strength that they do. It's only natural to keep a child from the midst of battle, because otherwise, how will the child even grow up to be that great demon, like their father? As you grow older, you come into your power more and can fight alongside those who previously told you no. You need to think of that, too."  
  
Shippou nodded glumly, but fired back: "And what am I to do when they don't let me do anything? How can I grow into my power if I'm not allowed to use even a little of it? I've fought with them before; why can't I do so now?"  
  
The ghost girl slowed her pace and came to a stop near a stump. Shippou sat down and stared at her, waiting for her answer. Shoukaki faced him easily, her face calm as she told him: "You're injured. They know you can fight and I'm sure they realise that you have strength in that little body of yours. But you're injured now and that takes away what fighting prowess you had. In your condition, you can't fight. And it's their responsibility to make sure you're safe. Otherwise, they'll have lost both a good friend and a strong fighter, as well as taken away that future as a great demon that you've always longed for."  
  
"But I'm not a burden! I wouldn't slow them down!"  
  
Leaning forward, Shoukaki placed a finger against her companion's lips. Unintentionally, Shippou shuddered at the contact; it was like the most deadly chill had just shot through his entire body when she brushed her ghost fingers against him. "When you react like that, you are a burden, little kitsune. Your emotions get the better of you and you lose what focus you have. What good are you then?" Shippou couldn't respond. Shoukaki continued. "When I was alive, I had a friend who believed I could do anything, as long as I wasn't afraid. I believe the same thing about you, little kitsune. If you don't lose your temper and you think things through, I think you can do anything. Including saving Kagome and showing Inuyasha and the others that they were wrong. Do you understand?"  
  
For a moment, Shippou thought about it, then answered slowly: "I'm a burden because I sometimes let things get to me and I lose control. So if I focus more and don't let my emotions get to me, I can be stronger and I'll never be a burden again."  
  
Shoukaki nodded. "I had to get over my fears so that I could be useful. I became stronger because I didn't give into my fears. You can become stronger if you don't let your emotions get in the way. Keep a cool head and you can do a lot more than now."  
  
"That still doesn't explain why they wouldn't let me go."  
  
Shoukaki laughed. "You threw a fit when they told you you couldn't go because you were injured. It was always: 'I'm not a burden! I'm not a burden!' But if all you did was get emotional, that's all they could see you as. I'm sure had you handled yourself more like the adult I know you to be, they would have thought differently. Am I too far off, little kitsune?"  
  
Shippou shook his head and sighed. "No, not really. They've always thought of me as a child, because I've always thrown tantrums, or hidden behind Kagome. I was a bit of a coward. But with Kagome gone I had to grow up. I was just so tired of always being called a child, when everything I did was so grownup. I just wanted to be taken seriously and seen as a strong member of the team, not a child that would slow everyone down…" He sniffed. "Look at me, I'm being childish again."  
  
Cold, ghostly hands swept around him and Shippou shivered. Shoukaki rested her head on his shoulder and whispered: "There is nothing childish about crying. So cry until you're finished. You'll feel better afterward and all the stronger for getting it out. So never think you're a child because you cried."  
  
The kitsune sniffed again and finished crying silently.  
  
So now they walked in the morning light, Shippou grumbling about the bushes and the distance and an assortment of other things—crying, Shoukaki and being a child among them. She kept her distance, knowing that she'd done all she could during the night and he simply needed to vent the rest of his frustrations, instead of crying them out. She'd give him that space.  
  
By now, Inuyasha and the others had surely noticed their disappearance. They'd be angry, when they met up with them again, Shoukaki was certain. She'd have to apologise for letting the little kitsune run off. She hadn't very well tried to stop him, after all. But this was something he needed to do. He had to prove to them—and to himself, she amended—that he wasn't a burden and that he could save Kagome, wounded or not. Shoukaki just hoped he could get his emotions under control before that time came, or he may very well prove to be a burden in the end.  
  
Ahead, the kitsune was slowing to a stop. Noting the tired expression on his face, Shoukaki jogged up to him in case he should fall. The last thing he needed was to jar his wounds with a fall. "Why don't we rest a bit?"  
  
Shippou readily agreed and they found a patch of sun-dried grass to rest their feet for a while. From a pouch at his waist, Shippou pulled out a small piece of meat and some bread he'd had the foresight to bring along. Hungrily, he downed the small portion, then took a swig from his water bottle. Shoukaki giggled girlishly as water dripped from her friend's chin.  
  
They sat together silently for a while, then Shippou sighed extravagantly. Shoukaki blinked and looked at him inquisitively; the fox- demon puffed out his cheeks and crossed his eyes so that his companion laughed. Then he sighed again and looked up at the brightening morning sky. He hadn't even realised how long they'd been walking…it had to be close to mid-morning already. So caught up on his own frustration over what had happened the past day, he'd completely lost track of time. Even now he found himself slipping back into the argument. 'I'm not useless…'  
  
"What's wrong, little kitsune?"  
  
Said boy shrugged and scrunched up his shoulders as he idly picked at the grass in front of him. After a moment, he asked: "So, you really believe I'm not a burden? Like what you said last night?"  
  
Shoukaki laughed and patted Shippou on the head fondly. "Is that what that big sigh was for, little kitsune? Of course I believe what I said; I wouldn't have said it, otherwise. Why this all of a sudden? Has it really been bothering you so much?" She knew the answer, of course, but she felt that talking might help Shippou feel better and she herself wanted to know what the fox-demon was thinking. He'd been so withdrawn since the fight with the soot-wolf a week ago.  
  
Shippou nodded demurely. "Well…yeah, I guess. I mean, it's always been me, Inuyasha, Kagome and the others and I knew where I belonged. I never used to worry about being a burden because we all had our place in the group. But now that Kagome is gone, I don't know where I belong anymore. And after I got hurt in the fight, it really became clear to me that, without Kagome here, I really don't have a place in the group…Even though I fought really hard and did my best and saved Inuyasha's life, it's like it's meaningless." He snorted. "Stupid Inuyasha. If it weren't for me, he'd be dead right now." For a moment, the fox laughed quietly to himself, then let his giggles trail away, followed by yet another sigh. "I just don't know. But you said I wasn't a burden and I really wanna believe that, it's just…I don't know where I belong."  
  
The ghost nodded and looked off into the surrounding trees. She knew just how her friend felt. She'd felt this way for a very long time. "I know what you mean, little kitsune. But you have to believe that you really aren't a burden. And as long as you can keep yourself under control, I'm positive you can prove Inuyasha wrong and find your place again." Smiling broadly, the girl ruffled Shippou's red hair, then stood up. "Come on, I think we've rested enough. We should be on our way."  
  
Her companion nodded, but not before giving her a chilly look that asked: "Who's rested long enough?" Brushing off his kimono, Shippou tucked away his pouch, then began trudging up the path and into the woods. Shoukaki walked beside him, skipping occasionally, but mainly just looking off into the trees with a melancholy expression. Concerned, the demon asked: "What'cha thinking about, Shoukaki?"  
  
At first the phantom didn't answer, then she shook out her head and smiled. "Oh, nothing much. Just stuff."  
  
Eyeing her sideways, Shippou jabbed at the girl with his elbow while clicking his tongue in a disapproving fashion. "Come on now, Shoukaki, I told you what I was thinking, now you have to tell me. It's only fair. And besides, we shouldn't keep things from each other, because we're companions. Kagome, Inuyasha and I never kept secrets from each other." 'Well, that's not really true,' he thought to himself mischievously. 'But a little white lie won't hurt her.' He giggled at his own cleverness.  
  
Shoukaki jabbed back at her friend playfully, then let her arms fall to her sides. She went silent. After a few minutes of nothing, the ghost girl shook her head clear. Shippou waited expectantly for her reply and was rewarded when she said simply: "I was wondering why I'm here still, little kitsune."  
  
The fox blinked, then understanding dawned and he let his breath out slowly. "Kinda like me, huh…?"  
  
"Yes, kind of. You don't feel at place anymore in the group since Kagome has gone away and I don't feel at place anywhere. I wonder why I was left behind…and what I'm supposed to do…" Taking a deep breath, the girl released it explosively. Then she shook her whole body out, rotating her arms and jogging in place. She smiled. "This is too much of a downer, little kitsune. We should be thinking of happy things, because we're going to save Kagome. So focus all your thoughts on her and we'll surely find her soon. Don't worry, little kitsune. Don't worry and everything will surely be all right."  
  
Dumbfounded, Shippou could only mutter as he hurried after a suddenly running Shoukaki. Only a couple of days until they reached Kagome, Shippou thought as he raced after his friend. A couple more days and he'd have his place back. Maybe Shoukaki can find her place, too. Maybe…maybe…  
  
  
  
"That idiot!"  
  
In the aftermath of the roar, birds speared from their nests high in the trees' tops, feathers floating down every which way at the sudden scare they'd received. Small animals skittered about on the forest floor and through the torn a part campsite, doing their best to stay clear of the bristling half-breed standing in the centre of the chaos. Even Miroku and Sango had to fight to keep their balance as the echoes of Inuyasha's outraged cry rang through the trees and disturbed all living creatures within a mile and a half radius.  
  
Huffing and visibly upset, Inuyasha began tossing camping supplies recklessly across the site again, his anger bubbling over into physical malice. Miroku had attempted to comfort the half-breed once already, but after receiving a well-placed fist to the jaw, the priest had wisely opted to step out of it and allow his companion to vent his rage safely—as in, not on him. Learning from the monk's mistake, Sango hadn't even gone near Inuyasha.  
  
Ever since they'd awoken to find both Shippou and Shoukaki gone, Inuyasha had done nothing but fume. "Just what the hell are those two thinking, running off in the middle of the night?" the half-demon raged, throwing several of the fire logs around the camping area. "And with Shippou's injuries! The kit is dumb enough to go in his condition but I at least thought Shoukaki had more sense than that! Stupid, stupid damned idiots! Keh!" Inuyasha hopped painfully after his foot connected with the steel of Sango's cooking pot.  
  
Miroku gave Sango a knowing look and moved forward once more to try to calm his friend. "Now listen, Inuyasha, your being mad isn't helping the situation any. Surely if the little one went along with Shippou, she did so to watch over him. I think that perhaps we should trust her ability to handle the little kitsune. And besides, we don't even know where they went."  
  
In response, Inuyasha slugged the priest in the gut, doubling him over, gasping for breath. "You fool, I'm a damned demon! I can smell where they went." Rubbing his hands together expectantly, the half-breed prepared to take off in the direction he could smell the runt from, his mind going over several possible punishments for leaving so recklessly. "Just wait until I get a hold of him, that runt is going to pay for leaving us behind like this. Especially after we told him he can't go."  
  
Preparing himself to take off as he was, Inuyasha didn't notice Sango coming up behind him, rubbing the bridge of her nose as though to ward off an oncoming headache. Before her companion could take off, the demon hunter had her boomerang planted firmly in his skull, knocking the hanyou to the ground and effectively halting his escape. "Inuyasha," she said softly, her patience waning, "we don't have a lot of time. If you want to save Kagome, we need to get back and see Kaede. At most we have five days and four of those are for the trip to Kaede's and then there. Let Shippou go…I'm sure he can handle himself."  
  
Pushing himself up from the ground, Inuyasha growled. Sango stared him down, ready to smack him again if he didn't get a clue and start doing what had to be done. Miroku watched in silent amusement, wise enough not to get between the two but loving every minute of it.  
  
Finally, with a hiss and a growl, the dog-demon shoved his way to his feet and began walking—toward Kaede's village. "Fine. But if that runt dies and Kagome cries because of it, I hold you responsible."  
  
"Fair enough," the hunter whispered. Gathering her things together quickly, she hurried after the half-demon, Miroku close behind and left the tattered remnants of their camp for the morning sun and wind to pick at. 


	10. Questions and Answers

Right off the bat, I have to apologise about this chapter. Not only is it incredibly late, but it sucks, too. For some reason I just could NOT write this chapter. Lack of motivation or writer's block, I really don't know, but I can't stand this chapter and I absolutely hated working on it. The characters are blah, the writing is sub-par and I think I killed any respect anyone may have possibly harboured toward this story...Not exactly the best thing to put up after such a long time. It's a fairly important chapter too, in my opinion, because everything starts coming to a head. I just...really hated it, though...  
  
Well...I think that's it. I should just title this "Chapter Stupid" it's so frigging bad...  
  
On a brighter note, I went to Otakon! Yay for me! My two favourite purchases were the Escaflowne Ultimate Edition Movie box and my Genso Suikoden II soundtrack. I also purchased two mandarin collar shirts (one blue with dragon and phoenix prints, the other white with those little circle...thingies...that are always on Chinese shirts), a CardCaptor Sakura dvd, an Angel Sanctuary postcard book for my friend (they ran out of the Angel Sanctuary art books that I wanted, grrrr) and a Saiyuki yaoi book for my friend because she liked the cover art. My sister bought the 3X3 eyes Collector's Edition dvd (at a discount, too!), a black Chinese martial arts shirt and pants (like what Ranma wears), some Rurouni Kenshin key chain plushies for a friend, the Majora's Mask manga and Deedlit's story, for a friend. I know I'm leaving stuff out, but...oh well. The whole experience was awesome and I want to go back next year. And to all you cosplayers out there, good frigging job. I saw so many Vash the Stampedes and Wolfwood's though...as well as Final Fantasy X...It was all worth it for the girl in the GIR outfit and the Bowser. Damn those were cool...  
  
As always, please leave some criticism. Hopefully it'll keep chapters like this from ever happening again. Thank you everyone.  
  
  
  
Where Lost Souls Meet Again  
Chapter Ten: Questions and Answers  
  
  
  
"Lord Sesshoumaru! Lord Sesshoumaru, where are you going?"  
  
Sighing at the momentary distraction, Sesshoumaru turned gracefully on his heel to face his rapidly approaching ward. The child dashed down the halls of the castle, nearly tripping on her kimono two or three times in her rush to make it to him. Shadows bounced along the walls in the flickering torchlight, sometimes disappearing only to leap farther up along the walls like black giants. The demon lord mentally shook his head as the whelp came to a stumbling halt before him, panting hard but watching him with unwavering eyes. The smallest glistening of sweat dampened her brow and matted down her hair; her limbs shook slightly from exertion, limp and trembling. Her entire bearing cried out distress.  
  
For a moment, while she stood there breathing heavily, Sesshoumaru studied the child that the fates had dropped into his care. No matter the passage of years, he always found himself thinking of her as simply Rin, but he could not ignore the changes that his Rin was going through. Older now, the girl was taller, leaner, with far more meat on her bones and fleshing out as her body began to slowly mature. She looked almost like an adult. He reflected back on the past two or so years that the child had followed him around, a puppy latched onto her father's tail. It occurred to him that his ward had very rarely-if ever-left him since she'd come into his care. Which was probably the reason she'd chased after him with such urgency.  
  
Finally catching her breath, the girl turned her innocent face up to him and huffed out: "Lord Sesshoumaru, are you going to leave Rin behind? Rin...I don't want to be left behind." The demon lord almost smiled at her correction. She was studying her grammar very hard, it seemed.  
  
"Yes, Rin, I am leaving you here in the castle this time. I have important business to attend to and do not need you underfoot." At her pained expression, the youkai sighed and said, in gentler tones: "It would be better if you stayed here, Rin."  
  
The girl frowned and tugged lightly at her protector's kimono. Her eyes were sad. "But Rin...But I always go with Lord Sesshoumaru."  
  
Sesshoumaru opened his mouth to reply when there was a loud crash down the corridor and a bumbling Jaken skittered into sight. He had several strands of ribbon tied around his scrawny ankles and what looked like a pot from the kitchens over his head. When he stormed up to where his master and the little girl stood, Rin's look was both mischievous and guilty. Sesshoumaru suspected she was the source of the ribbons-and probably the pot, too. Just because she looked like an adult did not mean she acted like one. He would need to see to her upbringing more if she were to become a proper lady.  
  
Jaken pointed a shaking finger at the human whelp and just about screamed out: "She tied me up, Lord Sesshoumaru! This filthy beast tied up your most loyal servant Jaken and covered my head so that she could run away and cause you trouble!" The toad's face darkened considerably, a pulpy mass of seething darkness, pinpricks of red welling up from the depths of his eyes. Rin stuck her tongue out at him, then yelped and hid behind Sesshoumaru when Jaken lunged for her. The miniature demon huffed again and motioned toward the child while addressing his lord: "Now if Lord Sesshoumaru permits, I will take the whelp away and punish her properly-"  
  
"Weren't you supposed to be helping her study, Jaken?" the white-haired demon interrupted coldly. "How did Rin get away from you this time?"  
  
Flabbergasted, Jaken stuttered: "Lord Sesshoumaru, if you would only look at what she did..." He motioned feebly toward the ribbon cluttered around his ankles and the rather large pot still balancing precariously off the back of his skull.  
  
Ignoring him, Inuyasha's brother asked again: "Jaken, how did she get away? I do not keep you around so that you can fail me over and over again. I would think that a single human child would be easy enough for you to handle. I see that I was wrong."  
  
He doubted he had ever seen Jaken's face go quite so white. Stammering, the toad croaked: "L-Lord Sesshoumaru, please forgive me! Now if you will only permit this humble servant Jaken to take the whelp back-"  
  
"That will not be needed, Jaken. I was just sending her on her way, now. As you can see, I have no need of you; go and finish gathering up what I may need for this trip." Jaken pouted a moment, but only a moment for his lord's hand struck out and slid mere inches past his face. "Now, Jaken." The toad skittered away furiously.  
  
Watching the small demon run away, Sesshoumaru got the sudden feeling that someone was trying to avoid him. Turning his gaze back down to where Rin was standing, he was only mildly surprised to find her gone. Sniffing the air tentatively, the demon lord turned around to find her hiding vainly in the shadows, scrunched into a tiny ball and trembling slightly. Curious and with the smallest pang of patriarchal concern, Sesshoumaru glided noiselessly up to her and placed a clawed hand to her scalp. "Rin...?"  
  
The girl flinched and sniffed. Slightly worried, but unwilling to admit it to himself, Sesshoumaru turned and headed down the hall. Maybe she would follow; at least then he'd know she was all right. "Come, Rin. I have a lot I need to do and you must get back to studying." He began to walk away.  
  
A tiny fist caught his robes and clung to them; a small face pressed into the small of the demon's back; a thin arm reached around his waist and held him close. Silently grateful that the human child was well enough to get up, Sesshoumaru's relief faded quickly when she began to speak. In the most quiet, pleading whisper, the girl cried: "Rin's sorry for tying up Jaken and covering his head with a pot. Rin just wanted to come with Lord Sesshoumaru. Please don't send Rin away. She won't be underfoot; Rin won't be a burden for Lord Sesshoumaru. So please...please..." Her voice trailed away, drowned out by her young sobs.  
  
For the longest time, Sesshoumaru just stood there with a weeping Rin clinging to his robes. Something stirred within him, deep inside his being, that told him to console the whelp and stop her tears. She was upset because he didn't want her to go with him-'It will be dangerous this time.' She didn't want to be separated from her Lord Sesshoumaru-'I do not want to put her in that type of danger. There will be many demons fighting where I am going.' Somehow, he had to convince her that she needed to stay in the castle-'The castle is safe. I want her to be safe...Yes; I want to safeguard this child. This little child...'  
  
Slowly, the demon lord of the western lands turned around and caught the weeping child in his arm and lifted her up. Rin yelped feebly, frightened for a moment at the sudden shift in position, then she wrapped her arms around her protector's neck and hugged him close. Repelling the urge to push her away lest someone see him being so gentle, Sesshoumaru let the child cling to him. Whether it be fatherly instincts or just the desire to stop her crying-he prayed it was the latter-the youkai held the girl close until she finally stopped crying.  
  
Lifting her face to look at him with watery eyes, Rin sniffed. "So Lord Sesshoumaru isn't mad at Rin-at me?" He smiled inwardly; she caught herself faster that time. "I-I can go with Lord Sesshoumaru?"  
  
When he shook his head, the girl almost started crying again, until he shushed her with a stern glare. Feeling awkward for using force to quell her sobs, the demon cleared his throat and said slowly: "I am going someplace very dangerous this time, Rin. There will be many demons fighting and you might get hurt should you go. That is why you will stay here at the castle, where it is safe. Do you understand, Rin?"  
  
She nodded slowly, her face scrunched up in thought. "So...Lord Sesshoumaru doesn't want...me to go because it will be dangerous and R-I might get hurt?" He blinked, then nodded. For a moment, Rin just looked ahead, her face scrunched up still, then suddenly her appearance went slack and she nodded emphatically. Tapping his shoulder, she motioned for Sesshoumaru to set her down. She scampered back a few feet and looked up at her lord happily. Sesshoumaru blinked again.  
  
"Rin understands!" the girl stated matter-of-factly, not even trying to correct her grammar this time. "Lord Sesshoumaru is worried that Rin will get hurt, so Rin won't go where it's dangerous. That way Lord Sesshoumaru doesn't have to worry. See, Rin is a good girl!" Smiling broadly, the child proclaimed: "Rin-I will stay here for Lord Sesshoumaru, so now you have to come back! Otherwise I'll get lonely and sad and the sky will start crying."  
  
Sesshoumaru simply stood silent a moment. This whelp, this human child was willing to stay behind because she knew that danger meant he might be distracted by her presence and that he then might be hurt. Rather than have that, she would stay so that he could come home safely to her. Smiling the barest of smiles, Sesshoumaru knelt down in front of his ward and pet her gently on the head; she giggled. Her eyes, when she looked at him, were innocent and brimming with love and that accursed fatherly instinct flared up again inside the demon lord. Reaching out, he pulled the child to him and gave her a stout hug.  
  
"Yes, Rin, you stay here and I will come home shortly. We would not want the sky to be sad." Gently, he pushed her away and turned her down the hall. Patting her bottom lightly, he said: "Now go to your studies. I have work to do before I can leave. And the faster I leave, the sooner I return to you."  
  
Rin nodded so hard her head almost snapped off. "Ri-I will study really hard, Lord Sesshoumaru! I'll study so hard that Lord Sesshoumaru will have to come home so that he can be proud of me!" Then she ran down the hall, almost tripping as her kimono caught her legs and finally disappeared around a corner. Her shadow flickered and disappeared with her.  
  
Sighing, Sesshoumaru stood and shook his head. What had gotten into him? That child always brought out the worst in him, making him soft and vulnerable. 'However,' he amended as he headed off to prepare for his travels, 'at least she stopped crying. Rin is not herself if she's not smiling.'  
  
With these thoughts in his head, the demon lord of the western lands went to gather up his youkai followers and chase down his pathetic half-breed of a brother, as well as the Shikon Jewel, unaware that the next time he'd see Rin would be six months later, when he'd finally recovered from his wounds.  
  
  
  
"Shadow master? I'm sorry, Inuyasha, but I know nothing of Shadow masters."  
  
Inuyasha wheeled around, fists ready to pummel. "I knew you were lying, priest!"  
  
They sat in Kaede's hut, hunched around the meagre fire that burned at its centre. Well, all except Inuyasha; he was standing and waving his fist at Miroku in a rather threatening fashion. The monk looked on with complacency, his eyes hooded as he calmly ate his food. By now he was too used to Inuyasha's outbursts to say anything, not to mention far too tired to care.  
  
For the past day and a half the three companions hurried toward Kaede's village in the hopes that the old woman would know something about this Shadow master that Miroku suspected was controlling Kagome. Shortly after finding Shippou and Shoukaki gone the morning before, they'd set out at a dizzying pace, Sango and Miroku alternately holding onto Inuyasha's back or running alongside him. When the humans could no longer keep up, the dog-demon had simply thrown them both on his back and darted off again into the woods.  
  
It was about noon of the day after that they skidded into Kaede's village, dirty and exhausted but too rushed for time to rest as they'd have liked. The old priestess scurried from her hut to greet them, only to be nearly bowled over as Inuyasha stalked past her. "Talking time. Get in the hut, old hag. It's talking time." Kaede just sighed and followed after.  
  
Now the four sat together by the fire, eating a hurried lunch while the dog-demon raged at Miroku for lying. "I knew we shouldn't have trusted you! Here I could already be at the Western Falls, kicking my brother's ass, but noooooo, we have to come here and talk to Kaede about a figment of your imagination! That's it, I'm going after Kagome. You can catch up to me later." With a growl the half-breed made to walk from the hut.  
  
"Wait, Inuyasha." Kaede's voice was old and gruff, but definitely not weak and her words were loud and clear to the hanyou's ears. Bristling at the waste of time, he turned around, stalked over to his seat and flopped down unceremoniously. After a few seconds, he snatched a piece of meat from the fire and chewed glumly.  
  
When she was sure her "guest" was there to stay, the old woman cleared her throat and continued. "While it is true that I know nothing of these Shadow masters that the young monk speaks of, I do know a little about Human Puppets. From what Lord Miroku has told me, I believe that Kagome is under the influence of a Human Puppeteer. Perhaps they are the same as the Shadow masters, I do not know. I can, however, tell you everything I know."  
  
Inuyasha was in her face faster than thought. "Why didn't you say that in the first place?! I-" A well placed boomerang cut the rest of his tirade off and ensured a few minutes of peaceful conversation. Kaede thanked the demon hunter with a slight nod. As Sango put her weapon away, Miroku clapped politely.  
  
"Well done, my dear Sango. Well done indeed."  
  
"Don't push it, sir monk. Don't push it."  
  
Kaede cleared her throat, effectively regaining the attention of the room. "As I was saying," she began in her raspy voice, "I will tell you everything I know about the Human Puppets. They were used in the old days as tools for political power. Or assassinations. A high-ranking official would call for a Puppeteer, who would then apprehend their master's victim. Using mind control and spiritual "strings" the Puppeteer could control the victim's body and influence their thought. The victim would look the same and talk the same, but had someone controlling them from far away, like a puppet on strings. Depending on how strong either puppet or puppeteer were, the effect was different. Strong victims could often control more of their thoughts and even move on their own at times. Vice versa, a very strong Puppeteer could control everything in their puppet down to when they blinked.  
  
"Using these puppets, the official that hired the Puppeteer could rise up higher in rank, if their victim were capable of appointing them. They could marry into high-ranking families by controlling the father. Several assassinations were executed using the puppets as the murderers so that the official's hands were clean. Some puppeteers were hired simply to take control of the victim and kill them quietly.  
  
"These Puppeteers ended up becoming a very common tool for the very rich and ambitious." There was a groan from where Inuyasha lay and the half-breed slowly pushed himself up. Kaede acknowledged him with a nod, then continued. "By the time I was born, Puppeteers were beginning to fade away as open assassinations and war replaced them. People didn't care about secrecy anymore..." Her voice trailed off, tinted with sorrow as the events of her youth resurfaced. After a brief moment of silence to allow her to regain her composure, she finished. "And that is what I know."  
  
Digesting both his food and her story, Miroku nodded. Inuyasha blinked at them all groggily, still stunned by Sango's boomerang. No one complained.  
  
Finally, the priest grunted. "The stories are similar. From what I understand, Shadowing began hundred of years ago for some of the same reasons you just claimed, Lady Kaede. Political power and death threats. It, too, fell into disuse. The difference is only in the way it was executed: Shadow masters manipulated their victims by attaching themselves to them; Human Puppeteers used spiritual strings and coercion." He paused momentarily in thought, chin resting in his open palm. Mumbling to himself, he finally said: "However, considering the similarities between the two, I believe we can use your knowledge. Lady Kaede, do you know how one could beat a Puppeteer once controlled? If we can figure that out, we may be able to save Kagome."  
  
At her name, Inuyasha's ears perked up. Back on his feet, the dog-demon made a grab for Miroku, snarling: "Do you know how we can save her?"  
  
Miroku dodged the attack skilfully, tumbling off to the side to avoid a second grab. "We're about to learn that-" he dodged another swipe and took off running around the room, Inuyasha close behind. "Inuyasha, if you'd just calm down-Hey! Inuyasha, watch it-OW!" The priest suddenly skidded to a halt and grabbed the prayer beads around his wrist, pointing his cursed hand directly at the startled hanyou. "I know that you are worried about Kagome and want to know how to save her, but if you do not calm down and listen to Lady Kaede I will pull you into my Air Rip!"  
  
Inuyasha's expressions flattened and he stared at the monk with deadpan eyes. "Uh, Miroku, your Air Rip is gone..."  
  
"Oh, well...so it is!" Laughing to himself, the priest began to saunter off, only to turn immediately on his heel, staff at the ready. Once, twice, three times he bopped Inuyasha on the head with the end of his weapon. "Then I shall poke you with an ugly stick, instead."  
  
Eyebrows twitching and fists shaking, Inuyasha groaned: "Miroku..."  
  
Jab. Jab. "You fear my staff, I know you do."  
  
"Listen, priest, this is-"  
  
"Fear the staff." Poke. Poke. "I have awesome spiritual power. Fear the staff."  
  
Frustrated with the idiot priest's actions, Inuyasha turned away and sat down next to Kikyou's sister. 'Stupid priest. Stupid, stupid priest. I'll get you for that.' "So, Kaede-baba, what is this about Kagome?"  
  
Sighing, Miroku sat back down and listened as Kaede began her explanation. Sango gave him the most curious expression from the corner of her eye; Miroku smiled and tapped the side of his nose. The demon hunter rolled her eyes. She would never understand her companion's strange methods. 'Men...However...his idiocy did get Inuyasha to sit down and listen...'  
  
"As far as I know," the old priestess began, "there are very few ways to free a victim after they have been tagged. And of those few methods, I only know of two that have been effective." Sango readied her boomerang as Inuyasha shifted, ready to spring if the old woman didn't talk a little faster. Kaede nodded thankfully as Inuyasha reluctantly sat back down. "As I was saying, there are two effective methods. One is to help the victims break the mind control themselves. This can be very hard, as each victim has different amounts of strength, both spiritual and physical. The urgency of those trying to help the victim is also a factor. If the victim is not strong enough, or the Puppeteer is too strong, then the attempt to break free will leave the victim helpless and that much more susceptible. If those that are trying to help aren't strong enough to support the victim, then the same outcome is also likely. To have a person break free of the spell in this way can often lead to much worse consequences."  
  
"So in other words," Miroku interjected lightly, "this way is very risky."  
  
"And what is the other way, Lady Kaede?" Sango asked quietly as the old woman paused a moment, either for a breath or dramatic effect, the demon hunter didn't know.  
  
Kaede shrugged and picked up her tea, taking a long, quiet drink. When she placed the cup back down, all eyes were on her. "The other way is perhaps harder. In order to free the victim, you have to break the bonds."  
  
"Break the bonds?" all three echoed in unison.   
  
The priestess nodded. "The only other way to save Kagome is to kill the Puppeteer or Shadow master that is controlling her."  
  
  
  
There was a rustling behind her. With a start, Kagome whirled around, hands automatically drifting to her neck where the Shikon Jewel once hung. She had to break that habit, she realised with a grimace as the brush parted and Rin popped her head out.  
  
Heaving a sigh of relief, Kagome sank back down to the ground, the younger girl scooting up close. Rin was smiling like an idiot. "What are you so happy about?" Then: "Weren't you supposed to leave last night?"  
  
Rin laughed and clapped her hands like a lunatic and Kagome briefly wondered just what it was Sesshoumaru fed the child. She looked healthy. 'But then again, with that demon, who knows. For all I know, he beats poor little Rin every night and only gives her gruel in the morning. He is a demon, after all.' But looking at the girl's smiling face, Kagome somehow doubted her own thoughts. 'Maybe even Sesshoumaru has a kind heart sometimes.'  
  
Dancing around, Rin bounced up to Kagome and took her hands in her own. Chipper as ever, the child said: "Guess who I saw on my way home last night!"  
  
Kagome gawked at the girl in front of her, baffled. 'Saw? She came back here to tell me who she saw?' Sighing, the priestess only smiled and went along with it. She might as well humour the girl's whim. "Okay, Rin, who did you see on your way home last night?"  
  
"Shippou!" She just about blew Kagome's head off with the strength of her yell. When the ringing in her head finally stopped and the meaning of Rin's words sunk in, all Kagome could do was work her dry mouth open and closed. 'Shippou...? She saw Shippou...?'  
  
Momentarily stunned, the captive woman just stared ahead of her. She vaguely noticed Rin sitting down beside her, humming happily and tying flowers together. 'Shippou...If she really did see him then he must be close! And Inuyasha will be with him. They must have come after me shortly after Sesshoumaru took me away. And they must have pushed themselves hard...It's only been three days...' A giddy, almost dizzying feeling swept over Kagome as the realisation of them being so close hit her. 'They're going to take me home...I'm not going to be some captive anymore...I can be with Inuyasha, finally, after so long...I can be with him again...'   
  
"Big Sister, are you hungry again?"  
  
Kagome took a deep breath and looked at the little girl beside her. "What was that, Rin?"  
  
Sesshoumaru's charge tilted her head to the side owlishly and pursed her lips. Her cheeks puffed out. "I asked if you're hungry again, because you're starting to cry. It's okay if you are, I can go and get you something to eat."  
  
Lifting a trembling finger to her eye, Kagome realised that she did, indeed, have tears standing on her delicate lashes. Pulling the damp finger away, all she could do was smile. With Rin watching on, bewildered, Kagome's smile became a grin, then a chuckle and finally an all out laugh. Pulling herself to her feet, she reached down and took Rin up in her arms, spinning the younger girl around. "Big Sister...?"  
  
Setting the child down, Kagome sighed and wiped her eyes. "I'm not hungry, Rin, I'm happy. I get to see everyone and go home soon, so I'm very happy."  
  
A spark of understanding lit up her dark eyes and Rin opened her mouth in a silent "ah." "Oh, okay. I thought maybe you were hungry again and started crying because your belly hurt. I do that sometimes." She paused and looked away. Then: "But I know what you mean. When Lord Sesshoumaru came home after his big fight with you and Big Brother Inuyasha, I cried too. I was so happy that Lord Sesshoumaru came home-even though he was really hurt and slept for a really long time afterward-I was just so happy that I cried a really really lot." She turned back and smiled. "It's okay to cry because you're happy. That doesn't make other people sad."  
  
Kagome nodded. Sitting back down, she brushed her hair back behind her shoulder and motioned for Rin to sit near her. When the child was situated, the older priestess asked: "So you really like Sesshoumaru, huh?"  
  
"Yep!" Rin exclaimed happily. "Rin loves Lord Sesshoumaru thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis much!" To accentuate her point she held her little arms out as far as they would go. Looking at her arm span, she frowned slightly, then let her limbs fall. "Well, more than that, but my arms aren't long enough..."  
  
Her companion laughed. "It's okay, Rin. I can tell that you really care about him. It's hard for me to believe, even though I can tell just from how you talk." When Rin just gave her a blank look, Kagome tried her best to explain. "Well...you see, every time I meet up with Sesshoumaru, he's trying to kill Inuyasha or me and our friends. I never get to see his...how do I put it...nice side. So it's hard for me to believe that he's a good enough person for you to love him so much. On the other hand, just watching you talk about him I can't doubt that he is a good demon, at least toward you. It's a lot to take in when all you've ever seen is a blood-thirsty monster."  
  
Rin wrinkled her nose. "Lord Sesshoumaru isn't a monster, but Jaken is. Grr...I don't like Jaken. Wanna know something?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
Giggling, Rin crawled up to her knees so that she could look the sitting Kagome in the eyes. "One time, back when Lord Sesshoumaru was about to leave to get beaten up, I was studying with Jaken in the study because Lord Sesshoumaru told me I had to-so I can become a lady but also because he didn't want me underfoot while he prepared to leave because he knew that I would try to stop him. Well anyhow, I was in the study and learned that Lord Sesshoumaru was leaving so I grabbed my ribbons and tied them around Jaken's ankles so that he couldn't get up and follow me, then I went to the kitchen and grabbed a pot! And guess what! I put it on Jaken's head so he couldn't see! He waddled around and yelled and said lots of bad words that Rin doesn't understand but it was funny anyhow because he had ribbons around his ankles and a pot on his head!"  
  
Listening to her story, Kagome couldn't help but laugh. She was laughing so hard, in fact, that she didn't sense the approaching demon and by the time she did, he was already on top of them.  
  
Looking down and the giggling girls, Sesshoumaru's eyes darkened. In his deep, smooth voice he quite calmly said: "Rin, I thought I told you to go home."  
  
Gulping, Rin backed away. Kagome shuddered at the ice in Sesshoumaru's words. This wasn't like yesterday, when he told her to leave and she'd played around and teased him about it. The air literally shivered from the words he spoke and Rin began to shudder like a caught deer. She could not charm her way out of this.  
  
Stuttering, the child managed to babble out: "Rin is sorry, Lord Sesshoumaru! Rin was going home with Jaken just like you said but she saw something in the woods and wanted to go see-Jaken told Rin not to but she didn't listen and she's really sorry Lord Sesshoumaru-and she saw Big Sister's little fox friend walking in the woods with another girl and Rin was so excited to see one of Big Sister's friends that she ran back here to tell Big Sister what she saw, but she didn't mean to make Lord Sesshoumaru angry and she'll go home right away so please don't yell at Rin...!"  
  
Some of the ice gone from his words, Sesshoumaru smirked. "Fox...eh? So it would seem they have come for you, woman of my brother." Kagome squirmed beneath his gaze as he turned his frozen golden eyes on her. She was aware of Rin walking over and latching onto Sesshoumaru's leg, but her attention was riveted on the demon lord's words.  
  
In the most frightening tone, the demon lord of the Western Lands said very softly: "Even though they have come here, they will not take you away. Come, Rin. It is time for you to go home."  
  
Kagome watched him walk away, Rin tagging along behind, her eyes sad as she shot a farewell glance back her way. 'Shippou...Inuyasha, run away...run away...' 


	11. A Long Day's Journey Into

Oh my God I updated! I bet you all thought I'd disappeared off the face of the Earth. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAA!  
  
*cough* Anyhow, yes, I finally, FINALLY, finished this stupid frigging chapter. Whether because of a massive case of writer's block or the fact that when I COULD write I didn't like how this chapter was coming out, it's taken me nearly a month to write it. And it's short, too...The good thing though is that I actually LIKE how it finally came out! Yay for me!  
  
I really am sorry about the delay in updating. It isn't fair to you that read it to have to wait for my lazy ass to get around to writing. And I really do feel terrible about it.  
  
This is it. I think I have two chapters left and then "Where Lost Souls Meet Again" will have come to its completion. Hopefully, it won't take me four months to do so, however...  
  
Thanks to all of you who have supported me through this endeavor and I hope these last chapters are all that you hoped for. And I hope you aren't so upset at me that you won't read them... *sheepish grin* Thank you all again.  
  
  
  
  
Where Lost Souls Meet Again  
Chapter Eleven: A Long Day's Journey Into...  
  
  
  
  
  
"Shoukaki, can we stop for a bit? I'm tired."  
  
As the early morning light dappled the trees on their third day of travel, the pair slowed to a stop. With a yawn, Shippou collapsed onto a nearby boulder, Shoukaki kneeling down beside him, carefully arranging her kimono. In the pale sunshine she still looked almost translucent.  
  
For a while, they sat silently, the kitsune resting up, the ghost listening to the chirping birds. Even though he was healed, her friend still needed to rest periodically and she was content to sit with him as he regained his strength, even if it took hours. Slowly, the shadows from the trees lengthened, then shortened again as the sun reached toward its zenith. The birds began chirping louder as more awoke and joined the chorus. A deer passed by in the distance, then bounded off when Shippou sneezed.  
  
It was a while later when Shoukaki looked up from her examination of a flower necklace she was tying to ask Shippou if he was ready to go or not. It was already nearing noon and she could sense that they were close to where Kagome was being held-the faint, but steady presence   
of youkai was quite distinct.  
  
"Are you ready to go, little kitsune? I'm sure your Kagome is waiting patiently for us to rescue her."  
  
The fox-demon didn't answer immediately, then heaved a heavy sigh. Standing and brushing off his butt distractedly, he looked down the path, toward where he could sense the presence of other demons. "I know," he whispered shortly after a time. "But...I'm kind of scared, too. I've never been alone like this before and Inuyasha isn't here to help. And...what if Kagome is mad at me, for coming alone? I don't want her to be mad at me."  
  
The gentle ringing of Shoukaki's laughter had Shippou blinking in confusion. The phantom girl giggled girlishly for a while, then wiped her eyes clear and smiled broadly at her demon companion. The fox glared at her as she spoke. "Silly, silly little kitsune, do you honestly believe that your Kagome could ever be mad at you for coming to save her? True, she might be worried a little, maybe even a little upset that you risked yourself for her sake, but never mad at you." The girl pursed her lips and scrunched up her face as she thought. "And it's okay to do things on your own. We all have to grow up sometime, right...?"  
  
Shippou ducked his head down sheepishly. "Well, yeah, I guess so... And besides," he continued, his voice gaining strength, fire in his eyes, "I'll show that Dog Boy a thing or two when I save Kagome and he just sits around twiddling his fingers! That'll teach him to treat me like a kid!" Grinning, he turned back to Shoukaki, who smiled lightly back. "And really, I'm not alone. I have the great Akahiyoko Shoukaki on my side! Even that stupid Sesshoumaru will have to think twice before taking us on!"  
  
"'Great...?' What's so great about me?"  
  
For a moment the kit grew silent, thinking. Then he said: "Well, you're really nice and you always talk to me. Plus you make those weird flower thingies that Sango likes. And when you're fighting, you're stronger than Inuyasha, cause you have those cords that can attack really long distance and you can't be hurt at night. Those kinds of things make you really great."  
  
"Yes..."  
  
Something in her voice caught his attention and Shippou tilted his head down to look his companion in the face. He felt odd sometimes, having to look down at people, or being at eye level with them. He'd been small for so long that growing up felt very strange to him. "Shoukaki...? What's wrong?"  
  
She forced a smile at him and wiped her eyes. "Oh, it's nothing. It's just...well, I was thinking about growing up, is all. And I realised that I can't ever grow up, cause I'm dead and the dead can't get any bigger..." She sniffled, then took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I'm such a silly girl, getting worked up over something like growing up..."  
  
Before she realised what was happening, warm, small paws encircled her and she felt herself pulled close as Shippou gave her a comforting hug. Awkwardly, he patted her back. "There, there, Shoukaki. It's all right. Just because you can't get any bigger doesn't mean you can't grow up. I mean, look at Inuyasha. He's a lot bigger than I am but I'm still more grown up than he is. And you're a lot more grown up than me. So it doesn't matter if you can get any bigger, 'cause you can always still grow up." Again he patted her back, careful not to hit too hard. She was a girl, after all.  
  
Gripping the front of his kimono in her hands, the young girl nodded and sniffed loudly. "I'm just so scared that there's nothing for me, even though I was left behind. What if there isn't a reason I was left here...what if I can't do anything, after all? I can't go home, I can't get older, I can't remember...Do I have anything at all...?"  
  
"Of course you do." Pushing her back so that he could look her in the face, Shippou smiled. With one childish hand, he brushed away his friend's tears. "You have all of us. And you have your Mama and friend waiting for you, wherever they are, just like my Mama and Papa are waiting and watching me. So you always have something. Always always." He lightly punched her jaw, then winked. "So cheer up, or you'll also have a black eye."   
  
Shoukaki couldn't help but laugh.  
  
The two stood silent a moment in the ringing of her laughter, then Shippou shrugged his shoulders and pointed down the path. "Come on, we have a Kagome to save. Especially before any Dog Boys get there."  
  
Nodding, Shoukaki took up her friend's stance and echoed: "Let's go!" Then she paused, turned and grabbed the flowers she'd been tying. Plopping them down on the kitsune's fluffy head, she returned to her pose and said: "Okay, now let's go!"  
  
Before they could get a hundred feet down the path, however, acid spilled among the trees, clogging the air and melting the vegetation. Shippou screamed and darted up a tree as Shoukaki watched in bewilderment the foliage around her crumble and disintegrate. From up in the tree, the fox-demon hissed at her to get away quickly.  
  
Taking a cautious step backward, the ghost-child tried in vain to find the source of the vaporous toxin. It had to be a demon-and most probably Sesshoumaru-but despite how hard she tried, she couldn't sense him in the area. Either he had some sort of cloaking magic that she couldn't detect, or he was incredibly good at hiding his aura during an attack. She feared it was the latter.  
  
Another wave of acid flowed in through the destroyed trees, darkening the area to a greenish black hue. Shoukaki could no longer see her feet. She idly wondered if they had melted like everything else-being a ghost, she couldn't feel pain and there was no way of her knowing what had happened. Maybe she was melted to the earth...  
  
There was the smallest sound of a twig snapping and the girl's head shot in that direction. Through the mist of green that swirled about, she could make out a flash of silvery white. 'Sesshoumaru...it has to be him.'   
  
Without a thought, the ghost lunged after him, silently relieved that she still had her feet as she ran. From behind her, up in the tree, Shippou howled for her to stop and run the other way. Briefly, she turned her head to see where her companion was-most of the foliage was gone now, removing what cover the kit had-and saw him clinging frantically to the highest branches of his tree, shivering and screaming at her to come back. The flowers she'd placed on his head earlier hung lopsided, some of the petals falling listlessly to the ground. If he weren't in so much danger, she'd have almost found it comical.  
  
Instead, she steeled herself and ran faster, thankful for the fact that she couldn't become winded. 'If it was night, I could fly after him...Why can't I just stay in one form? Why?'  
  
For a while, Shoukaki continued to chase after the brief image of white she'd seen. When the acid fumes dissipated and even her most attentive senses could not find any demon presence, she slowed to a stop. Wherever Sesshoumaru was, she couldn't sense him. For all she knew, he was still back where Shippou clung helplessly to the branches...  
  
'No...little kitsune!'  
  
Faster than she ever had before, Shoukaki darted back down her previous path, ignoring the plants that clung to her, scraped her and tried to trip her up. Had the image she'd seen been a ruse to separate her and the fox-demon? She'd left Shippou all alone! He was still weak from his previous injuries-not to mention stuck up a tree. Maybe Sesshoumaru knew she'd chase after him in the hopes of protecting the weaker demon and now...now... What could he do to Sesshoumaru? 'Why did I leave him alone...?'  
  
In a rush, the ghost stumbled into the clearing, her eyes frantically searching for the fox-demon. Almost all of the acid had vanished, but that didn't necessarily mean that Sesshoumaru was gone. She had to find her friend...! When she couldn't see him in the trees, she began to fret. Was she too late...? Maybe he was already dead...just like her... Her eyes caught sight of a cluster of small flowers beneath the tree, melted from the acid. They were the same flowers she'd knit together and given to her friend. 'No...'  
  
There was a rustling in the bushes and the child spun around, her eyes sapped clear of colour and bleeding black. She would kill Sesshoumaru for what he'd done to her friend. She would avenge him. No one else was going to die!  
  
A round, furry head popped out of the brush, followed by a blazing red top-knot and the bushiest tail she'd ever seen. Shippou rubbed his eyes with his small hands, then blinked up at her. With a wail, the kitsune shot out from the bushes and grabbed his friend, nearly crushing her, crying out her name repeatedly. Slowly, the anger dying inside her, Shoukaki's eyes returned to normal and she hugged the kit back. He continued to cry into her shoulder.  
  
She wasn't sure how long they stood there, holding each other, but by the time they let go the last of the acid was gone and the clearing was left in shambles. Sesshoumaru was nowhere to be seen.  
  
Slowly, the kitsune came back to himself. Sniffing, he pushed away from his friend, rubbing the last tears from his cheeks. "That's odd..." Shippou commented finally as he looked around, "Sesshoumaru doesn't usually just run away like that. He's too stubborn to give up. I wonder why he stopped?"  
  
Shoukaki shrugged. "Perhaps he had more important things to tend to?"  
  
Shippou gave his friend the most contemptuous look she could imagine as he said incredulously: "What more important things? Killing is the most important thing to Inuyasha's brother."  
  
She shrugged. "Well, he left us alone the other day..."  
  
The fox just shook his head and started walking. "No, not really. It's because Inuyasha kicked his butt and he hates to lose, so he makes it look like he was going to leave anyhow. That's just how Sesshoumaru is. But Inuyasha isn't here right now, so it's odd that he left...I wonder why...?"  
  
Playfully, Shoukaki rubbed the kitsune's head and joked: "Maybe he's waiting in ambush!"  
  
"Don't even joke about that Shouka-LOOK OUT!"  
  
Before she could react, there was a sickening tearing noise and suddenly she felt terribly off balance. It was heavy...her left side was too heavy. She could feel herself falling and she vaguely wondered why Shippou was screaming.   
  
Hitting the earth with an audible thud, Shoukaki looked up through dizzy eyes to see Sesshoumaru standing a short distance away, the blue fabric of her kimono falling in shreds from his claws. That was odd-she didn't remember him grabbing her. How did her kimono get shredded like that?  
  
With a grunt, the girl rolled over and moved to push herself up. As she placed her weight on her arms, however, she collapsed down again. What...? She looked down, confused. Why couldn't she get her balance...? Her eyes widened in disbelief as she looked herself over, while near her Shippou continued to scream.  
  
Her right arm was all but gone, torn and shredded beyond use.  
  
And she hadn't even felt it.  
  
Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at her destroyed body. She hadn't even felt the wound. She hadn't felt anything. This dead body...she survived in a dead body that she couldn't even feel, but that could be destroyed. Could her body be destroyed to the point of non-existence and she wouldn't even know...? Did she have anything she could keep...?  
  
"Shoukaki! Shoukaki!" The girl could feel Shippou's arms wrapping around her, feel his face bury against her shoulder. He was shaking. The little kitsune was scared.  
  
Anger welling up, Shoukaki gently pushed her friend away, at the same time shoving herself to her feet. She almost went down again, unbalanced by the loss of her arm. But she held on, her anger giving her the strength to remain on her feet. This Sesshoumaru had taken away something from her-he'd scared Shippou-and she would not forgive him.  
  
Sesshoumaru took this all in with lidded eyes, his face passive. Fluidly, he shook the remains of the child's dress from his claws, the fabric falling listlessly to the broken ground. In his deep voice, he said quietly: "Perhaps I was, human child."  
  
For a moment, his words didn't sink in. Perhaps he was what? Then it struck her. '"Maybe he's waiting in ambush!" He...he was waiting for us. He heard me! He was there...he was waiting...' Shoukaki began to shake uncontrollably. 'He was waiting for us...to hurt Shippou...! To hurt me...to take more away from me...! I can't even have a complete body...HE TOOK IT AWAY!'  
  
Even as the words died down in her skull, the colour bled from her eyes, replaced by a dead black-even the whites were gone. Her face went slack, her mouth a tight frown. Around her, the wind picked up, pounded against the melted and broken plants; her kimono fluttered around her legs. Black cords materialised from the air and a thin wire wound about her neck, pressing deep into the skin. Shippou gasped and jumped away, hiding in the bushes along the side of the path. Sesshoumaru simply watched on with emotionless eyes.  
  
Without a word, Shoukaki lunged forward, the cords that encircled her body lashing out like snakes. Lithely, Sesshoumaru dodged them all, his face contemptuous as his own whip lashed out. The two weapons collided, bursting into flames. Shippou poked his head out to watch, then retreated back into the bushes.   
  
"I hate you! I hate you!" With each attack, Shoukaki screamed louder and louder, tears rolling from her eyes. Sesshoumaru's attack caught her in the face and flung her backward, leaving a huge, torn gash in her cheek; even as she stood, it began to bruise and swell, sealing her eye shut. The girl shook her head and lunged forward again. "You just keep taking things away from people! First you take Kagome from Inuyasha and Shippou, now you take away what little physical presence I have in the world! You're evil! I hate you!"  
  
In the bushes, Shippou cringed at the sound of her voice, but was also slightly shocked. He'd never heard Shoukaki say his name before. He'd always been "little kitsune" to her. Could her anger have changed her somehow? She didn't seem like Shoukaki anymore-she frightened him with her black eyes and terrible, terrible cords. Where was his "Great Shoukaki?" He whimpered. Why did Sesshoumaru always have to interfere...?  
  
Outside, the sounds of attacking continued. A whip cracked and there was the most disgusting sound of tearing flesh. Then Shoukaki screamed so loud that the blood curdled in the fox kit's veins. He had to do something to help her! Without thinking, the kitsune bound out of the brush and across the clearing toward where his friend lay sprawled on the ground, Sesshoumaru standing over her, his claws ready to strike. A new wound tore across the girl's left shoulder, just below her neck.   
  
Shippou began to panic as he watched Inuyasha's brother begin to strike. Why hadn't he thought of a plan before rushing out? He needed to think of something...quickly. Scrambling for anything to stop the older youkai, the fox-demon screamed: "Inuyasha! Thank goodness you're here!"  
  
Shippou grinned to himself when the demon lord of the western lands stiffly turned his head to look for his younger brother. Taking the few precious seconds afforded him, the young youkai dove in front of Shoukaki and attacked Sesshoumaru's legs. He had to stop Sesshoumaru before he hurt his friend anymore...!  
  
Surprised by the sudden attack, Inuyasha's brother turned his head back toward where Shippou clung to his kimono, trying his best to claw Sesshoumaru's legs. It would have been comical, had the demon not been in the middle of a fight.   
  
Almost nonchalantly, Sesshoumaru kicked the kit from him, watching as the younger demon bounced along the ground to land near the human ghost. The girl was slowly pulling herself up to her knees, trying to orient herself. Sesshoumaru had to give her credit; she was quite tenacious. Especially for a ghost, who were usually complacent enough and tended to stay out of demon affairs. But she was also a human and in league with his brother and therefore a thorn in his side. If he was going to have his revenge on that woman his half-breed sibling ran around with, he couldn't allow anyone to take her away.  
  
Very slowly, Shoukaki pulled herself up to her knees. Her body moved sluggishly and wasn't responding like it should. She had no right arm and she couldn't see out of her right eye. Her mouth felt stuffed with fabric and she couldn't hear clearly from her right ear. It was a struggle to orient herself and she vaguely wondered why she still had a body. Why hadn't Sesshoumaru destroyed the rest of it, yet?  
  
Awkwardly, she scanned the area using her good eye, assessing the situation. A very faint gasp from behind caught her attention and she swung her head that way. There was Inuyasha's brother, looking at her with wide, golden eyes. He almost looked...surprised? But that wasn't possible-he was evil; the evil don't look surprised. She let her gaze drop, unwilling to look at those eyes on her enemy.  
  
And that's when she saw Shippou.  
  
The poor kit lay a few feet in front of her, curled up on his side. Tears stood in his eyes and he was holding his arm like it hurt. With a gasp, Shoukaki hobbled over to him on her knees, trying desperately to keep her balance. When she reached him, she gently stroked his hair with her good hand as he whimpered in pain.  
  
"Little kitsune? Oh, are you all right? What happened?"  
  
Shippou looked up at her, his face grim. "Shoukaki...you're all right. I was worried." The kit forced a smile, then grimaced. "I couldn't let that big meanie over there hurt you anymore, so I tried to get him to leave you alone. I guess I didn't do a good enough job. He sort of kicked me away." Shippou gritted his teeth together as he shifted around to sit up and face her. "I think my arm is broken. I bounced quite a long ways."  
  
Shoukaki gently pushed his bangs out of his eyes. "Silly little kitsune, you didn't have to do that. I can't be killed-I wasn't in any pain. You didn't have to hurt yourself for me."  
  
He shook his head. "But you didn't want to lose anything else and since your body is one of the only things you really have anymore, I couldn't let anyone take it away. Besides...I need to be brave if I'm going to save Kagome. She would want me to help my friend..."  
  
His companion nodded and smiled sadly. "Well...I'll protect you now, so don't you worry." She pet his head again, then turned her attention back to Sesshoumaru, who continued to stand nearby with an almost awed expression on his face. Shoukaki's face darkened immediately when she saw him. He would be awed by such caring and compassionate people. He probably didn't have a caring bone in his body.  
  
"I'll get you for this, Sesshoumaru," she called out as she valiantly attempted to stand. He blinked at her oddly, almost as though her were coming out of a dream. "How dare you hurt us like this. You evil, evil creature. I hate you!" She finally finished getting to her feet and waited for his response, her left eye glaring at him.  
  
But Sesshoumaru didn't do anything. His eyes took in her appearance, instead. He saw her dirty, dishevelled black hair, her swollen face, torn clothing. She looked...very much like Rin had when he first encountered her. And he had done it to her. It was as though he'd attacked his own charge. It was uncanny how similar her appearance was. "Rin..."  
  
Shoukaki was taken aback at his answer. 'Who...who is Rin...?' "Sesshoumaru..."  
  
The demon lord of the western lands didn't answer. Instead, he relaxed his body, allowing the whip he held to fall away. His eyes were surprisingly soft when he turned from them and began walking away. Shoukaki and Shippou watched, astounded, as his ghostly white form disappeared among the trees, not even bothering to look back.  
  
For a moment the two simply sat, silent, as they stared after where Inuyasha's brother had disappeared. Then Shippou pushed himself to his feet and started walking after the older demon. He still clutched his arm to him in pain. Shoukaki hurried after him, trying her best to stop him.  
  
"It's another trap, little kitsune! If we follow him he'll just hurt you more!"  
  
Shippou shook his head. "He lost that fight, Shoukaki. It's the same way whenever he loses to Inuyasha...I don't know why he lost, but he did. And I'm going to follow him."   
  
She blinked, confused. "Why?"  
  
"Cause he'll lead me to Kagome. I just know it."  
  
They continued on for a while after that, neither speaking, both nursing wounds. Shoukaki was surprised she could even move, thanks to the damage inflicted on her body. No right arm, extensive wounds to the face and torso...she must look like some kind of monster. 'But then again...When Sesshoumaru looked at me that time, he didn't look disgusted. He looked...almost sad. Why would he look like that? And who is Rin...?'  
  
"Little kitsune, who is Rin?"  
  
The fox slowed a bit, looking back over his shoulder at the ghost trailing behind him. "Rin? That's the name of the little girl that chases after Sesshoumaru...why?"  
  
'A little girl? A human girl, like me?' "Why would a little girl follow him around?"  
  
Shippou shrugged. "I don't know. He's a mean, cruel, cold demon that doesn't care who he hurts and who took Kagome away. But Rin is very fond of him. I just don't know."  
  
"Maybe he's only so cruel when fighting...?"  
  
The kit shook his head and sighed. "I don't know. I've never seen him when he's not fighting. But he took Kagome away and therefore he is the worst creature in the world. And I'm going to save her, no matter what."  
  
Shoukaki bit her bottom lip, but said nothing. Shuffling along with her wounded body, she could only think of Sesshoumaru's eyes and that softly spoken word. 'Rin...how can a child love such a frightening creature...? Why would a human child follow such a creature...why would he let her? Sesshoumaru...why are you so strange? Why did you look at me like that? Why...why can't I keep hating you anymore...?'  
  
So lost in her thoughts was the phantom that she didn't see Shippou stop in front of her. She slammed into his back and fell immediately to the ground, her balance gone. The kitsune barely noticed, staring instead ahead of him, into the trees. Struggling back to her feet, Shoukaki let her gaze follow his, her eyes widening in surprise.  
  
Ahead of them, just beyond the last stretch of trees, lay a brilliant blue sky. In the distance was the glint of falling water; she could barely hear the faint roaring, whether because she had lost the use of one ear or because it was so far away. Near the cascading water were the vague shadows of men or demons and the large shadow of at least two beasts.  
  
But the shadows were not what drew her attention, nor the fox-demon's ahead of her. Perhaps halfway to the waterfall, laying out in the sun, were the figures of two human girls. One looked no older than Shoukaki or Shippou and she frequently got up to run around and dance. She laughed loudly and her voice reached them even out in the forest. But it was the girl who lay beside her that caught the children's attention most of all.   
  
Dark hair spread across the ground like liquid as she looked up at the sky, Kagome was as beautiful as Shippou remembered and it couldn't help himself. With a cry, the kitsune bound out of the woods, Shoukaki trying her best to keep up with her uneven body. His joyful yells echoed throughout the area but he didn't care. There was his Kagome, sitting up with a start and looking toward him with her large, beautiful eyes. There was his Kagome, pushing herself to her feet, her companion stopping her dance and looking in his direction with an equally surprised expression. There was his Kagome...who he had come to save.  
  
"Kagome! Kagome!" Crying her name, he raced toward her. Behind him he could vaguely hear Shoukaki yell something-it sounded like "stop." Why should he stop? Kagome was right there! He had no reason to stop! "Kagome! Kagom-"  
  
A claw wrapped around his neck and shoved him into the ground not a hundred feet from where Kagome stood, screaming. Thrashing around, Shippou managed to get his face out of the ground and look up. He screamed.  
  
"I see you made it here after all. This Sesshoumaru welcomes you, fox-demon." 


	12. All This Time Looking For Love

Whheehee, I got another chapter out! It only took...two? three? weeks but I did it! I don't know where I ever got the thought I could do a chapter a week thing...I'm such a fool.  
  
Anyhow-almost there! This is so exciting! This will be one of the only stories I've ever got around to finishing! Yay for Leah!   
  
Okay, well, um...on to the chapter. Also of note, I gave all you Miroku/Sango fans out there a brighter little day. Please enjoy and thank you all for reading. As always, criticism is welcome. I think I'll be getting a lot after this chapter...  
  
  
  
Where Lost Souls Meet Again  
Chapter Twelve: All This Time Looking For Love  
  
  
  
  
  
Time was running out.  
  
Inuyasha raced among the trees, head bent low to avoid the branches that whisked past his head. The steady patter of his feet resounded through the woods, accompanied by the swish of his robes through the air. He could faintly hear Kirara's breath nearby and the vague, random calls of birds in the distance. Nothing else made any sound as the half-demon and his companions tore through the woods toward the waterfall somewhere far ahead. Inuyasha smirked to himself; if he were a creature in this forest, he wouldn't get in his way, either.  
  
His smirk faded away as he turned his thoughts back to why he was running so fast. Four days...four days since Sesshoumaru took Kagome to the Western Falls. Four days wasted, in Inuyasha's eyes, with meaningless travel and even more meaningless banter. Talking to Kaede instead of chasing after the girl was nothing but a waste-he hadn't learned anything he didn't already know! Well...he did, but it was irrelevant since he'd been planning on killing that pathetic "Shadow Master" from the beginning. That monster...that monster needed to pay for taking his Kagome like that. Him and Sesshoumaru-but especially that Shadow creature who turned his Kagome against him.   
  
'Like Naraku...like Kikyou...' He closed his eyes briefly as a stab of pain shot through him. So many sad memories...Regret upon regret weighed him down whenever he thought about the things he might have done to save her, or even himself, in that distant past. Someone he cared for had been hurt deeply and there was nothing he could do about it. Absolutely nothing...even killing Naraku could not make up for those errs. And so he let the feeling wash over him as he darted in and out of the trees like the wind.  
  
When the pain subsided, he shook his head out and focused on getting though the trees even faster than before. The past was the past and he couldn't change it, but right now he could do something for Kagome and nothing was going to stop him. He'd lost his chance to save Kikyou a long time ago-he'd lost Kikyou a long time ago; that did not mean he would lose Kagome. He could save her still...he would save her still. She was all that mattered in his world...  
  
'Three days left...I only have three days left. Shippou is already on his way with Shoukaki-he's probably already there, the runt. Hopefully they can stall Sesshoumaru and that...thing...long enough for me to get there. As it is it'll take at least one more day.' He growled and put on more speed. 'I have to get there! I can't lose her again. Never again...!'  
  
Behind him, Sango and Miroku watched in worry as their friend began running faster and faster. "He'll kill himself if he stays at such speeds," Sango murmured, even as she urged Kirara to move a little faster. "I know our time is limited, but..."  
  
Miroku sighed. "We've lost four days and are barely any farther than when we started. Two days to Lady Kaede's, two days back. That is what Inuyasha is thinking now. But even if he is half demon, Inuyasha still needs to rest. He can't push himself like this forever."  
  
Sango nodded. Urging Kirara ever faster, she turned her head briefly to the side. Watching the priest from the corner of her eye, she asked softly: "Perhaps we should stop for the night? It's late and we're all getting tired." When her companion nodded, she turned back around and whispered into the demon-cat's ear. Kirara's voice rumbled in acquiescence and she immediately began a dive for the earth.   
  
Inuyasha sensed a movement behind him and took a moment to peek over his shoulder. Kirara was diving toward the earth, Miroku grabbing a hold of Sango as he yelped in surprise-was he groping her, or was that the half-demon's imagination? Oh well, it didn't matter. They'd be back in the air and following him soon enough.  
  
Turning swiftly on the balls of his feet, the dog-demon lunged back toward the humans, a scowl on his face. Miroku crouched low to the ground, his head in his hands; Sango stood over him, her boomerang hanging loosely from one hand. They both looked up at the sound of their friend's rapid approach.  
  
"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?!" the hanyou roared, skidding to a halt a few feet from where the humans stood. Sango had to take a step back from the force of his voice. "We have to get going or we'll never make it to the Western Falls in time! We're behind enough as it is-you sitting around on your lazy asses isn't helping any!"  
  
A staff on the skull kept the irate half-breed from continuing any further as Miroku shoved himself to his feet. The priest looked at his friend with lidded eyes. "We're tired, Inuyasha. It won't hurt to rest for a night."  
  
Inuyasha growled back: "It'll hurt Kagome if we don't rescue her in time!"  
  
Another thwack to the skull silenced him further. "My friend, if we don't stop and rest now, then we'll just lose even more time when we collapse from exhaustion later. I am just as worried about Kagome as you are, but pushing ourselves to death will help no one. So please," he continued, bringing his staff down a third time to cut his half-demon companion off before he said something stupid, "let us rest for the night."  
  
"The sun is setting and it's been a long day, Inuyasha," Sango added, nestling down beside Kirara. "We're only human and we tire much more easily than you. And even Kirara needs to rest. So just calm down. We'll get to Kagome in time, I promise."  
  
Miroku sighed and sat back himself, resting his staff across his legs. Nonplussed, Inuyasha growled some more, then stalked off a ways to find a tree to perch in. The monk watched him go, then turned to Sango and shrugged. "At least we didn't have to beat him into submission like yesterday..."  
  
She nodded sleepily, absently stroking Kirara's coat between her fingers. Her boomerang rested on the ground within arm's reach. "I don't blame him, though," she said finally, looking off into the distance toward Inuyasha's dangling feet. "If your roles were reversed, wouldn't you feel the same way?"  
  
The priest shrugged. "Well, of course I would. I'd want to save you at any costs-" Too late he realised what he said and clamped his mouth shut. Sango laughed lightly. "What's so funny?"  
  
The demon hunter giggled and waved him away limply. "Nothing, it's just that I never said you'd be out to save me." Her laughter died away slowly and she looked at her companion meaningfully for a moment. When she saw him looking back at her, Sango turned her head to the side, eyes closed. Her cheeks were warm. "Thank you, though, for thinking of me as such." For a brief second she paused, then continued on with a small smile playing across her lips. "Heh, I used to think you were just a lecher, but now...I know you are, but you're also very kind. I'm glad that someone in this world would risk so much for me..."  
  
There was silence a moment and Sango thought maybe her monk had fallen asleep. Chancing to look over where he sat, her eyes widened when she couldn't see him. Where...? "Miroku...?"  
  
She screamed when she felt him suddenly sit down beside her. Instantly, the hunter began stammering away, trying her best to cover both her fright and her embarrassment-her cheeks were on fire. Gently, the priest placed a finger to her lips, simultaneously tilting her head to look at him. He smiled at her. "Miroku...?" she whispered again as he removed his finger and leaned closer. "Wh-what are you do-"  
  
Her words were lost as he gently pressed his lips to hers and wrapped his arms around her slight form. Shocked, Sango stiffened, then shoved him away and scurried around Kirara, using the demon cat as a shield. Miroku rolled backward a few feet, finally landing with a thump and a groan on his back. After a moment of simply lying still, he struggled to a sitting position, holding his head lightly in his hands. "Oi..." he moaned, the sound muffled.  
  
Sitting behind Kirara, her heart pounding hard enough to rip from her chest, Sango tried feverishly to figure out what the hell just happened. What was that stupid monk thinking? This was too much, far too much! Just when she was able to compliment him on being such a kind and caring person, he goes and pulls a stunt like this! The lech! Sango's breath came out in short gasps just thinking about it-she was so angry. How dare he...!  
  
Taking a moment, the demon hunter turned and peeked up over Kirara's back. Miroku was still sitting where he'd landed, staring at his staff lying a few feet away on the ground. His eyes were...very sad. The hunter's throat constricted-she hadn't hurt him, had she? She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she'd hurt him... 'Miroku...'  
  
Sliding back down to a sitting position, the girl wrapped her arms around herself, squeezing lightly. Her anger gone, she found she was more confused than anything else. He'd startled her with that kiss-she could admit she overreacted and that shoving the priest so hard wasn't the most ideal solution. But...why had he done it? He hadn't just been seeking a cheap thrill, had he...? Oh, if he was only after a quick feel, she'd...  
  
In any case, she should apologise. She didn't need to shove him so hard...  
  
Slowly, Sango crawled out from behind Kirara and took her seat again. Miroku looked up at the sound of her movement, but she couldn't look at him. Whether because of her embarrassment or her guilt over hurting him, she kept her face averted. Her voice shaking, she said quietly: "Miroku...I'm so-"  
  
"There's nothing to apologise about," he cut in amiably. Standing up, he casually brushed off his bottom and stretched out. "It was my fault, really. I shouldn't have done that, especially without your consent." Sango turned her head and watched him as he sat back down beside her, a smile on his face. Stretching expansively with a huge and obviously fake yawn, Miroku curled up on his side and chattered sleepily: "Well, we should get some sleep. Inuyasha will want to head out early."  
  
Nodding woodenly, the hunter curled up, pressing into Kirara. She turned her back on Miroku, but didn't fall asleep. Behind her, she could hear him getting comfortable.   
  
'He doesn't want to talk about it anymore...does that mean he feels bad? Or maybe he just doesn't care...Was he being a lecher again and just getting what he could when he could? No...the way he was talking...' Confused, Sango shifted around until she could peek at him from the corner of her eye without him noticing her doing so. He was lying on his back, one hand flung across his face, the other resting lightly on his chest. Sango couldn't tell if he was awake or asleep.   
  
'I don't understand...why did he do that? He said he'd do the same for me...and earlier, against Sesshoumaru, he protected me the best he could. And even earlier than that...in the woods against that demon, he'd said something very similar. I didn't think about it at the time, but...' Absently, she fingered her mending arm, flinching slightly from the pain. 'I know he cares about me, but...is it love? Is it that strong? Damnit, Miroku, why did you kiss me? Why won't you talk about it? I want...I want to talk about it!'  
  
Shifting again, Sango turned her head and whispered: "Miroku...? Are you awake...?" She needed to talk to him about this. What did that kiss mean? "Miroku...?"  
  
When he didn't answer, she flipped herself around further, until she was completely on her side and looking straight at him. Much to her chagrin, just as she opened her mouth to call out to him again, he turned his head and looked right at her. He smiled. "I'm awake, Sango. Do...do you want to talk about it...?"  
  
Flustered, she bit her lower lip, surprised. Had he known she was thinking about him? Maybe he knew she'd been watching him, too? He wanted to talk...no, he knew she wanted to talk. So which was it? How long had he known...? 'Does he really want to talk to me about it? Why did he have to startle me like that? Now I don't know what to do!'  
  
For his part, the monk waited patiently, watching his hunter with a serious expression. She'd start talking any minute now and he didn't want to offend her by looking as though he didn't care, or found it funny. On the contrary, he cared very much about how she felt. He hadn't wanted to drop it in the first place...'So why didn't I say anything...?' he mused quietly. 'Sango...please don't hate me...'  
  
Finally, Sango cleared her throat and looked at the monk directly. In a soft, almost timid voice, she said: "What...what did you mean...by that kiss...?"  
  
Miroku couldn't help but smile at her question. She saw him and her cheeks instantly flamed. When she made to turn away from him, he reached out and gently took her shoulder in his hand. "Please, don't turn around. I don't want to look at your back. Your face is far more beautiful."  
  
"Miroku..."  
  
He shushed her with a small squeeze. "Let me finish, Sango. That is, if you want to know exactly why I did what I did." She nodded and he let her go. Rubbing her shoulder to ease out the pain, she listened attentively as the priest sat back and said: "I don't know what I meant in that kiss because I can't fully describe how I feel myself. I...I very much wanted to kiss you, Sango, but not because you're pretty, or because I'm that kind of person. For a long time now I've felt-something-inside me reaching for you. I tried to tell you earlier, against that lightning demon...I'm not sure if you noticed or not. At the time I was too worried about your reaction to continue. And later, when fighting Sesshoumaru...I tried to protect but...you still got hurt. I'm sorry..."  
  
Sango shook her head, but looked at her arm askance. "I know you were worried about me, then. You held me afterward-that was comforting, thank you."  
  
"I wish I could have done more for you, though." He sighed. "I wish I could give you everything you've ever dreamed of. I wish I could be with you always, be near you forever and protect you from any harm. I wish to hold you again, to feel you lips against mine..." At his words she flushed deeper. He couldn't possibly mean that...could he? "But I can't tell you what I meant when I did kiss you, because the feelings I have for you are so much, so strange, so powerful...words can't encompass them. The only thing I can say is...is..."  
  
Leaning toward him unknowingly, Sango held her breath. 'Miroku...'  
  
Turning his head to look at her, he smiled. "I love you, Sango."   
  
His words sent a chill through her spine and the demon hunter had to lean heavily against Kirara to keep from planting her face in the dirt. 'Love...he loves me...Miroku...' "Miroku..."  
  
He turned his head, a splash of red on his cheeks. "I'm sorry, I'm being terribly forward. And it still doesn't forgive me for what I did. I'm sorry, Sango. You can hit me now, if you really want. It's nothing I don't deserv-"  
  
Payback tasted sweet, Sango thought to herself as she kissed the priest. She couldn't remember a time his eyes had been so wide. She rather liked it.  
  
A moment later she pulled away, then pressed her head against the priest's chest. Awkwardly, his arms shaking, Miroku held her close, his chin resting on her head. Sango sighed and she nestled closer to him. She could hear his heart beating wildly through his chest-the sound was oddly soothing and she found that she was happy to have caused it.  
  
For the longest time they simply sat together. The sky grew darker and stars shone like pinpricks against the black tapestry. Looking up at the stars as he was, Miroku almost missed Sango's whispered, sleepy words, before she fell asleep in his arms.  
  
"I love you too, Miroku."  
  
  
  
Off to the side, hunched up on his tree-branch, Inuyasha scowled. It seemed everyone had everything they wanted but him.  
  
Sango and Miroku were snuggling like newlyweds next to Kirara, but did Inuyasha have Kagome sitting beside him? No. Shippou was off with Shoukaki to rescue Kagome from Sesshoumaru. Could Inuyasha go after her? No. He had to wait for the love-birds on the ground to get some sleep. Idly he wondered if they would, indeed, get any sleep at all. The priest did have a bad reputation, after all...  
  
'Bah, I hope they don't get any sleep. It only serves them right. If they get to be together but I don't get to be with Kagome, then they should lose out on something instead. And I don't even care if they fall behind in the morning because they're too tiiiiiiiiired. It's their own damn fault for being together...' His thoughts drifted away and the dog-demon found himself in another funk.   
  
Together...when would he be together with Kagome again?  
  
For eight months, nothing in the world mattered to Inuyasha. His friends could neither rouse him from his self-induced stupor, nor comfort him in his time of lose. Everything that had ever mattered to him was gone-poof! Just like that. Just like with Kikyou, Kagome was out of sight and out of reach and there was nothing Inuyasha could do about it...  
  
But then, by some miracle, she was there, alive and well, looking at him with her beautiful, shimmering eyes. He could see her as clearly as he had on those long days searching for the Jewel shards, he could smell her, hear her, feel her. Months of endless pain vanished instantly and he was alive again. He had his Kagome again! And then, even as he held her, she drifted away again.  
  
She was always drifting away and leaving him bereft of her existence. When...when would he be able to hold her as long as he wanted? When would he finally have what Sango and Miroku had now? 'Why didn't I treasure the time I did have with her...? I'm such a fool...'  
  
A gentle wind picked up and ruffled his silver tresses playfully. At first, the half-demon ignored it and did his best to keep his hair from getting in eyes. But then he stopped and very slowly, carefully, drew in the scents on the wind. Eyes widening in shock, the hanyou turned and scrambled up the tree until he stood on the topmost branches. There was no mistaking this scent! He could smell her! He could smell Kagome!  
  
For a moment, Inuyasha could do nothing but take in the scent, inhaling deeply. It was faint, but it was there and the euphoria the dog-demon experienced with each breath nearly knocked him from his perch. With each and everything breath he took he could see Kagome, his beloved Kagome, as though she were there with him, in the tree.  
  
He could see her now, lying on the grass, her dark hair spread out on the ground while she pointed out the constellations to him, or explained rocket ships and space stations. He could see her, smiling as she turned and asked him what he thought about when he looked up at the night sky, her face so perfect, so incredibly beautiful that it stopped his heart and stole the words from his throat. With just this barest of scents, he could see her more clearly than he could see his own hand and his chest ached incredibly. More than once as he thought about her, he had to stop and balance himself lest he crash back to the ground. Injuring himself would not help him get to Kagome any sooner.  
  
And with her so tantalizingly close, he wasn't taking any chances.  
  
He didn't really know how long he stood up in the tree, breathing in the scents on the breeze, but by the time the wind died down enough that he could no longer smell his lover, the moon hung high in the navy sky, interspersed with the pinprick light of stars. Inuyasha found himself staring at them longingly. They were like Kagome-he could see them, sense them, but no matter how hard he fought and struggled, he could never reach them. He could never take a star in his hands.  
  
"But Kagome isn't a star," he mused quietly, his eyes transfixed on the tiny orbs twinkling in the distance. "She's just as beautiful-more so-but I'll get her back. I can hold her. And I will. Nothing in this world can keep me from taking her back and never letting her go. Not my brother, not his little 'Shadow Master,' nothing. Nothing..."  
  
He stood for a while more, then crawled back down to his previous perch. From the corner of his eye he saw Miroku and Sango sleeping, huddled against each other. The half-breed sighed and turned away from them. No matter how strong his conviction to rescue his love, seeing others together as his companions were still hurt. A pang of sadness welled up within him as he stared out from the branches toward the origin of the wind on which Kagome's scent floated. 'Kagome...do you wish I was there to hold you...? Do you long for me as much as I you?' He looked momentarily back over to where his companions sat, then back up to the sky. The breeze shifted by again and brought with it his Kagome's scent. 'I'll save you, Kagome. So don't worry. I'll save you and bring you back home...'  
  
The stars shone gently in the sky and watched over the hanyou and his thoughts deep into the night.  
  
  
  
Sunlight filtered down through the branches of his tree, spilling across Inuyasha's face and forcing his eyes open from the glare. Blinking rapidly, his eyes watering, the half-demon yawned expansively before hopping down to land silently on the grass. A breeze picked up, tossing his hair to the side and bringing with it the faintest scent of water. The dog-demon sighed. He couldn't smell Kagome this time.  
  
Over by Kirara, Miroku and Sango were still sleeping, huddled close to one another. Sometime in the night one of them must have grabbed a blanket, because the thin fabric was draped over them, rustling gently in the breeze. Sango murmured something in her sleep, then pressed closer to the priest, hugging the blanket closer.  
  
'Ah, don't they just look cute?' Inuyasha thought, his eyes narrowed and a low growl escaping his lips. 'I bet that damn priest is in heaven, having a woman willingly sleeping with him. Bastard monk.' Unbeknownst to him, the half-breed's growl got a little louder as he stared at his companions resting on the ground. He snickered and took a step forward. 'Maybe I should wake him up. We do have such a loooong day ahead of us, after all...'  
  
Almost as though she could sense his intentions, Kirara picked her head up to stare at the dog-demon tip-toeing toward her and the humans beside her. She blinked a couple of times, then yawned and laid her head back down. Her demon companion wasn't planning on doing anything life-threatening, so there was no need for her to get involved. Besides, she could go for a little more sleep.  
  
Inuyasha stalked up to where Miroku slept, watching the monk through lidded eyes. So, the priest thought he could just sleep the morning away, did he? That he could stay up all night with his new "girlfriend" and just blow off their objective, huh? Well, he would show him! Snickering, Inuyasha took a few steps back and reached down for a nearby stone, preparing to peg his friend in the head. This was going to be so much fun.  
  
Oblivious to it all, the priest slept on, his mouth open in the barest of snores.  
  
Taking aim, Inuyasha chucked the stone. Just as it left his hand, however, Miroku shifted upward, so instead of the rock heading toward his forehead, it had an open path to his throat. Choking down his laughter, the half-demon scrambled after the projectile, trying his best to snatch it out of the air. But no matter how he grabbed at it, the damned thing seemed to be just out of his reach. So when it proved apparent that his flailing limbs couldn't grab it, he did the only other thing he could think of.  
  
He jumped for it.  
  
Flying through the air as he was, it was easy enough to grab the stone. Snatching it from the air, Dog Boy only had a few seconds to realise the error in his plan. He may have saved Miroku from a stone in the gullet, but who was going to save him from an Inuyasha in the face?  
  
Momentarily peeking up from where her face was buried in her arms, Kirara scrambled to her feet when she saw the half-breed flying through the air toward her. Sango awoke with a start as her support suddenly gave way and she was on her back, struggling with the blanket that had somehow twined around her arms. Beside her, Miroku was slouched over, his eyes groggily trying to focus on the ground as his senses came back to him.  
  
"Look out!"  
  
Miroku's head shot up just in time to see his companion come flailing toward him at unchecked speeds, then he was on the ground, rolling backward, his body tangled with the half-demon's. A rock smashed into the back of his head as he rolled unceremoniously across the ground, his arms scraping against dirt and hard soil while his ribs were repeatedly pounded by an elbow and his legs bent in positions they really shouldn't be bent in.  
  
For his part, the dog-demon was taking it rather well. Not once did he call Miroku a "damned priest." Not to say that Inuyasha's language wasn't exactly...colourful...as they rolled around on the ground, but he didn't blame the monk for it, which was something. Even when they finally stopped and lay bruised and broken, his main expletive sounded something like, but not necessarily limited to: "Shit, damnit, Kirara!"  
  
Struggling to a sitting position, Miroku rubbed the back of his head, careful not to press too hard on the tender spots. That rock had done quite a number on him...Beside him, Inuyasha was also sitting up, rubbing his neck and glaring at Kirara, the string of curses showing no signs of letting up. Looking over at his companion with lidded eyes, the priest asked calmly: "What the hell was that about, my friend?"  
  
Inuyasha looked at the other man askance, then shrugged, coughing lightly into his fist. Miroku sighed; he wasn't going to get any answers out of the hanyou on this, he already knew it. 'Why do I even try?' he mused silently, rolling his eyes heavenward.  
  
By now, Kirara and Sango were standing nearby, the former lying down, casually looking over the two males, the latter doing her best to hide her amusement by making a concerned face. Standing up, absently brushing the dirt from his robes, Miroku leaned over and offered a hand to his friend. Scowling, Inuyasha stood on his own, then stalked over to where Kirara lounged. The cat-demon raised an inquisitive eyebrow at his approach, but did nothing more.  
  
Sango hurried over to where Miroku stood, alternately laughing and looking worried. When she was close enough, the demon hunter raised a hand to her lover's face, touching the bruise that was beginning to swell and darken along his cheek. Stroking it fondly, she asked: "Does it hurt?"  
  
He shook his head. "No, not really. My neck is a little sore and my head is throbbing, but other than that I'm feeling fine."  
  
She smiled. "That's nice." Then she pressed against the bruise, her finger leaving a white mark when she withdrew it. Miroku yelped, then glared at her as she questioned: "Did that hurt?" She laughed hard when he gave her his most pathetic, puppy dog look, then ruffled his hair playfully. "You're cute sometimes, priest."  
  
"I'm cute all the time," he countered. Absently, she nodded her acquiescence, realising too late the error in that gesture. Grabbing her hands up in his, the priest gazed down into her eyes, a smile playing at the corner of his lips. With as much passion as he could muster, he said: "Sango, you really do care for me! As a gesture of your love, will you bear my child?"  
  
He didn't know where it came from or how she got it, but quite suddenly Sango's boomerang came hissing through the air, directed at the monk's skull. Jumping back quickly to avoid the blow, Miroku smiled weakly at his love, then ran off toward where Inuyasha was currently in a stand-off with Kirara. The two demons broke eye contact at the sound of the approaching human, took in Sango with her boomerang at the ready, then returned to staring each other down. There wasn't anything unusual about the situation to warrant a break in their personal fight.  
  
Darting between the two demons, Miroku cried: "Protect me, Inuyasha!" then ducked beneath the half-breed as Sango's weapon came down. Inuyasha turned around to see what was going on now just as her boomerang smacked him in the head. With a cry, the dog-demon collapsed to the ground, taking Miroku with him and crushing the monk to the ground. Above them, Sango apologised profusely, pulling her weapon from her companion's skull and kneeling down to see if she'd hurt him any.  
  
Brushing her away in a tiffy, Inuyasha crawled to his feet, huffing and glaring at the two humans. Miroku followed suit, wary of Sango's weapon, while the demon hunter asked again if they were all right. Kirara rumbled deeply, the sound vaguely akin to a laugh. Inuyasha shot her a glare as well before stalking off in the direction of the Western Falls. He'd had enough foolishness for one morning.  
  
"Come on, we have to get going! Kagome's time is running out; I'm sick of being held back by you idiots." Stopping momentarily to glare back at them, the half-demon waited long enough to make sure Sango and Miroku were preparing to leave before taking off himself. Kirara could catch up if she wanted to.  
  
Sango pursed her lips irritably, then shrugged and walked over to the cat-demon lounging not too far away. Miroku watched incredulously as his friend darted into the trees, his eyes lidded. "It wasn't like Inuyasha started it all in the first," he grumbled quietly, joining Sango at her demon's side and getting ready to jump on. They had everything they needed, right? "No, of course not. Inuyasha never starts anything. Fool." Looking around as he complained, the priest noted that the camp was cleaned up and all their possessions packed away. 'Good girl, Sango,' he thought, then climbed up onto Kirara's back, offering a hand to Sango when he was settled. "Ready?" he asked. She nodded, situating the last of their parcels. He smiled. "Then I guess we're off."  
  
They took off, Kirara bounding through the trees at incredibly speeds. It wasn't long before they caught up to their dog-demon, hoping from tree to tree, his nose lifted to the air. Inuyasha caught sight of them out of the corner of his eye and nodded. Regardless of how he might look to others, he appreciated what Miroku and Sango were doing for him and was grateful to have them along. He didn't think he could do this without them.   
  
Suddenly smelling Kagome's scent on the wind, Inuyasha veered to the right, cutting Kirara off as she sped through the woods. Turning swiftly on the pads of her paws, the cat-demon lunged after Dog Boy, nearly throwing her human occupants off. Sango screamed as she slid off to the side, clutching Miroku's robes in stiff fingers. It was all he could do not to fall off as well, even with his hands buried in Kirara's thick fur. 'I need to warn Inuyasha about that,' he thought mildly as the two righted themselves again, slightly more cautious than before.  
  
He wasn't sure how long they ran, but by the time Inuyasha caught wind of Kagome's scent again the sun was beginning to dip down toward the horizon and the trees were beginning to thin out. 'This is it! I'm almost there!' Elation soared through him as he thought about how close he was to his love, how close he was to having her back forever. His legs pumped faster and he bolted through the trees, nose working overtime to keep her scent fresh. He couldn't afford to lose it now!  
  
Behind him, Miroku and Sango held onto Kirara for dear life, the cat-demon racing so fast that they almost flew off in the face of the wind. Though he couldn't smell as good as Inuyasha, nor did he have the heightened senses of his companion demons, it didn't take him long to put two and two together. They were close. Only a fool would not be able to tell.  
  
A delicate pair of arms snaked around his waist and the monk started. Turning his head as much as he could without fear of the wind ripping it off, he asked: "Sango? What's wrong?"  
  
The hunter shuddered and pressed herself closer against his back. Her eyes were large and looked distant, as though her mind were somewhere far away while her body clung desperately to him. When she spoke, her voice wavered with the sound of tears and fright and Miroku found himself terrified.  
  
"Something's wrong..." Sango said. Her voice was impossibly soft and yet he could hear every word clearly. A tear trekked down her face and her fingers dug into his arms painfully. "Inuyasha, Inuyasha has to stop! Something's wrong, something's terribly, terribly wrong." She was sobbing now; her eyes still looked distant. "He has to stop...Please...tell him to stop...!"  
  
"Sango..." Turning around to face Inuyasha's direction, Miroku yelled: "Inuyasha, wait! Sango says something is wrong! Inuyasha!"  
  
The wind flung his words back in his face and the dog-demon continued on, unerring in his desire to see the single most important person in his existence. Urging Kirara forward, Miroku's eyes widened in terror as the trees suddenly broke away and the pale twilight spread across the open field and immense waterfall in the distance. Its roar sounded vaguely in his ears but he didn't care. Sango gasped in horror, her eyes clear and no longer distant, then buried her face in the priest's back. Miroku wished he had something that could cover his eyes as well.  
  
Ahead, Inuyasha slid to a halt, running a giant furrow through the grass for about a yard. His eyes wide and mouth agape, the dog-demon got warily to his feet. By the time his shock wore off, Kirara was beside him, her human riders slowly sliding off her back to the ground. Sango collapsed the moment her feet hit soil; Miroku leaned heavily against the cat-demon's side. No one spoke for the longest time.  
  
After an interminable pause, Inuyasha turned to the monk. Not since Kagome disappeared had he seen such pain and anguish in the eyes of his friend. "Inuyasha..."  
  
The half-breed ignored him, instead taking a step farther into the field. "What the hell..." he whispered fervently, almost pleadingly. His eyes wide, he turned his face upward, barely registering the black, scared body of the dead demon squatting in the centre of the area. The waterfall, the darkening sky, even the sounds of those around him faded away as his attention focused on the small, red tuft of fur clutched far too tightly in the demon's claws, one paw stretched out over the arm of his captor as though reaching, mouth slack and eyes rolled back so that only the whites showed.  
  
Inuyasha's mouth opened and he screamed up at Shippou: "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" 


	13. Something Like a Star

I am a big fat liar. That's right, you heard it here first. Leah lies.  
  
Because I said I only had a couple chapters left to go, oh, two chapters ago and I haven't actually finished yet...That's right, there's more chapters after this "last" one. Because I'm a person that can't shut up and lets a story get too involved...damn me.  
  
I don't know if this is a good thing or not. I'm hoping it is. But one can never be too sure. ^-^x  
  
Anyhow, yes, I've made it to thirteen chapters. It just so happens that thirteen is my lucky number and favourite number and this is one of my favourite chapters. Huzzah am I. Yes, I like a chapter! *dies* What is this world coming to?  
  
As always, thank you all for putting up with my evilness for so long. And yes, it's been a rather long time...I really wish I could do more for you that have kept with me and supported me through this. I just feel like my thank you paragraph is never enough...I don't think anything can ever be enough to show just how thankful I am for all your lovely words. Thank you, thank you, a thousand times over, thank you.  
  
And now, for the story.  
  
  
  
  
Where Lost Souls Meet Again  
Chapter Thirteen: Something Like a Star  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The half-demon's cry echoed throughout the clearing, reverberating off the trees. Next to him, Miroku stared on in stunned disbelief, his eyes focused on the laughably small bundle of fur clutched in the dead demon's claws. Pieces of cloth hung down from the creature's nails and draped across its forearm, along with tufts of red fur. In the dimming light, the priest could just barely make out what looked like huge gashes down the side of the larger demon's face, as well as burn marks across its torso and arms. 'They fought here, that's obvious,' Miroku mused as he looked over the wounds on the larger demon. 'But when? why? What happened to make it so?'   
  
Looking around anew, the monk noticed large scorch marks and furrows in the ground around the two demons. Some of the burns were small, others a good ten paces in diameter. He squinted. Was that...the remains of a demon's arm? And there-yes, he could see it clearly now! Demons, dozens of them, lay scattered about, their bodies distended, scorched, torn and maimed, just like the ogre that had Shippou in its grasp. But why? "What...what happened here...?"  
  
A rather strong wind picked up, swirling around in the night-time air and around the area, encouraging the smell of death to lift up from the ground and waft about the three standing near the trees. Next to him, Sango let out a strangled cry and fell to her knees, hand over her mouth. Miroku knelt beside her, wiping away the tears that streaked down her face and pulling her close; she clung to him and cried, her voice loud in the frightening twilight silence that permeated the field.  
  
"Sango..." he whispered, his lips pressed into her dark hair. She shuddered and cried some more, her face buried into his chest and her arms gripping the arms of his sleeves tightly. Her entire body quivered as it was racked by her sobs. Miroku could feel his heart tearing apart, even as he held her close. 'Sango, I'm so sorry. I can't do anything to help you...Gods, why? Why is all this sadness happening now?' Tightening his arms around her, her gently kissed the top of her head, trying his best to soothe her. "Shh, don't cry, Sango. Don't cry..."  
  
She shook her head, hiccoughing back her tears as she whimpered: "No, I don't want to. I don't want to..." As her voice trailed away and her weeping grew stronger, Miroku couldn't help but keep the tears from lightly tracing down his cheeks.  
  
Tilting her head upward with a gentle finger, he looked into her tear-filled eyes with his own. Leaning in, he gave her a light kiss on the forehead, then pulled her back to him when her lips began to tremble with a renewed bout of crying. He ran his fingers through her hair, whispering the whole time: "Sango, shh, don't cry. Please, dearest, don't cry..."   
  
"He's right, Sango," Inuyasha added, his eyes locked on Shippou's small frame. "We can't just sit here and cry. We have to move along. I, for one, am gonna find the bastards that did this and I'll kill them all. They'll all die."   
  
Something about his voice was cold, heartless and Miroku felt a shiver run up his spine. 'Inuyasha...' Without even realising it, he pulled his crying love closer, as though to protect her from those frightening words.  
  
The boy continued on, however, his voice steady and cold. "But crying won't get you anywhere, so get up." For a brief moment, the half-breed broke his almost hypnotic gaze with Shippou to turn burning eyes on the weeping demon hunter. "Get up."  
  
Miroku's head snapped up as he hissed: "Let her be, Inuyasha!"  
  
The demon growled, his eyes shadowed. "I will not let her just sit here and cry when we have to avenge Shippou! Crying won't solve anything!"  
  
The priest stood up, then, gently placing his sniffling lover to the ground. When he was sure she was settled, he whirled around, finger pointed at his friend's scowling face. "If she's sad she has every right to cry, Inuyasha! Sure, I'm trying to calm her, but I'm not telling her she can't! And you! You spent eight months pining away for Kagome, you can at least have the decency to give her eight minutes! You arrogant, selfish bastard! Why don't you think of others for once?"  
  
"I am!" he retorted, arms flung. "Kagome may still be alive, but if we don't save her from my brother, she won't be! And we don't know why Shippou is...is...we don't know! But if it was to save Kagome, then we can't waste what he gave us by sitting here crying! You think I'm not sad? You think I don't want to grieve for my friend? You're the arrogant, selfish bastard then if you think that and are willing to waste the precious time that we have left to save our-your-friend!" Flushed, the dog-demon turned away from the priest, gulping in air. When he had calmed sufficiently, he whispered: "Please get her up, priest. I don't want to waste this moment."  
  
Dumbstruck, Miroku nodded. He hadn't thought of it that way, he conceded and looking at it so, he was being the selfish one. Shippou had died for them...was looking down upon them now from his resting place...and here he was, wasting the time the kitsune had bought. Guilt weighed down on his shoulders and he turned away from the half-demon, eyes downcast. 'Forgive me, Inuyahsa. I guess I am the fool this time...' Kneeling down again, he pulled Sango into his arms and helped her to stand, wiping away her remaining tears with gentle fingers.  
  
"Inuyasha's right," he murmured to her as he brushed away the wetness on her face. As much as it hurts and we want to grieve, we can't sit here and cry." She shook her head, lips pressed tightly together to keep from crying, her eyes wide and glistening. He nodded and shushed her again. "Yes, my dear. We can't just sit here forever." When she tried to shake her head again, he cupped her chin in his fingers and kept her face still-she flinched at the pressure. "Please, my love, don't make this any harder on us. Please...I promise you, we can grieve later. We can grieve for as long as you like, then, but please...for now...don't cry anymore..."  
  
At first he thought she was going to shake her head again, then she simply nodded and leaned against him, hands pressed to his chest and head buried beneath his chin. "Fine," she whispered hoarsely, fingers gouging into his robes. "We can go. But you promised me and I won't forget that..."  
  
He nodded into her hair, then kissed it gently. That's all he needed to hear.  
  
They took a moment more to look up at the small fox-demon, then began walking forward, circumventing the edge of the clearing. The sun was almost completely gone, its light tingeing the distant water and dark horizon, but leaving the travellers in poor illumination. The large demon that squatted in the clearing now stood as a dark obelisk, undefined and frightening in the dark. No one could see Shippou's shape anymore.   
  
As they began to pass by the demon's side, however, Sango stopped and turned around, running back the way they'd come. Miroku called out, knocked off balance by her sudden departure. Inuyasha scowled and jumped after her, heading the demon hunter off before she got too far.  
  
"Where the hell do you think you're going? Are you stupid or something? We have to keep moving or Kagome might-"  
  
"Inuyasha, I just heard Shippou call out to us!"  
  
Inuyasha's mouth hung open, mid-word, as he took in what his companion just said. "Shippou...?" he muttered, confused. But Shippou was dead...he'd seen his body in the claws of that demon! "Sango, Shippou is dead. You're delusional. He can't say anything!"  
  
She shook her head fervently, trying her best to get around the steadfast half-breed. "I heard him!" she cried, ducking around his arms and running forward. Inuyasha just jumped in front of her again, blocking her path. Exasperated, the demon hunter smacked his shoulders-hard-and cried: "Inuyasha, let me go! I know what I heard!"  
  
"Listen, Sango, it isn't possible! The dead can't talk!"  
  
"I know what I heard, Inuyasha! Let me go!"  
  
He shook his head, grasping her wrists in his to keep her from moving. "No, you're not going back there! It won't help you any!"  
  
She scowled and fought with him some more, tears in her eyes. Struggling with him, she hissed: "I heard him, Inuyasha. Let me go back to him! We can't leave him like this!"  
  
"Sango, no! It isn't possible!"  
  
"I know what I heard!"  
  
"No! Shippou is--!"  
  
Then he heard it. It was so quiet, so strained that he had to listen very carefully to catch it again. But it was there and he wasn't hearing things. Shippou's voice...he could hear Shippou's voice calling them back.  
  
"Inu...ya...sha...back...please...come back..."  
  
Pivoting on his heel, the dog-demon dashed back, the ground ripping up from beneath his feet. As he came back around the large, blackened demon, Inuyasha tore inward, covering the distance from the tree line to his captured friend in a heartbeat. He jumped the final distance, raking his claws down the arm of the larger monster. The limb virtually disintegrated under his attack and Shippou tumbled forward, his small body plummeting toward the ground as the last of his support gave way.   
  
"Inuyasha! Grab Shippou!"  
  
Twisting his body around as he fell back to the ground, Dog Boy scrambled to grab the kitsune before the smaller demon hit. Enclosing the child in his arms, Inuyasha wrapped himself as much as he could around Shippou, then waited for the impact he knew was coming. He hit the ground hard, the air knocked instantly from his lungs and his head cracking against the ground as it snapped back from the momentum. 'It's worth it,' he gritted out, unfolding to expose a very weak kit. 'The runt's safe now, so it was worth it...'  
  
Sango was the first to reach him, skidding across the ground and taking the cub up in her arms before she'd even come to a complete stop. Laying him down carefully, the demon hunter placed her head to Shippou's chest and listened for his heartbeat, all the while holding her breath. For a moment she couldn't hear anything and tears welled up in her eyes once more. 'No...no, he can't be dead! No...!'  
  
Then she heard it.  
  
Thump.  
  
Thump.  
  
Thump.  
  
The tears in her eyes doubled and Sango began sobbing so hard she couldn't breathe. He was alive! Shippou was alive! Leaning in again, she listened to the faint, life-giving beats of his heart, to the raspy, rattling breaths he pulled into his lungs. Even that hollow noise gave her joy. Her tears spilled from her cheeks, wetting the tattered remains of her friend's clothing and darkening his hair and face. "He's alive...!" she whispered, the words almost choked off by her sobs. "Inuyasha...Miroku...he's alive...!" Both nodded, too stunned for words.  
  
For the longest time they simply knelt beside the kitsune, watching him as he breathed. At first, his chest rose only the barest fraction and his pallor was gray, like the dead. Then slowly, so slowly, he began to breathe stronger, his chest rising higher and higher each time. The gray and white shades to his skin darkened, the flesh becoming pink, then a healthier tan. The rattle in his throat disappeared.  
  
Sango turned her head up to Miroku and smiled so brightly he couldn't help but return the gesture. Absently, she stroked Shippou's chest with small fingers, careful of his wounds. For a brief moment, Miroku almost thought of her as a mother, then shrugged it off. Now wasn't the time for such fantasies.  
  
The priest knelt down beside her and placed a hand to the kit's forehead. Sango grinned at him. "Isn't this wonderful, Miroku?" she asked, looking back down at her charge and brushing her fingertips across his cheek. "He doesn't have a fever-and the rattle in his throat is gone. Isn't this wonderful...?"  
  
He nodded and sat quietly, basking in the warmth of his love's happiness. He couldn't bring himself to mention the fact that Shippou wasn't awake and was still only hanging on by a thread. She didn't deserve such worry now.  
  
Finally, Inuyasha leaned over and picked the smaller demon up, holding the boy close to his chest like a baby. Sango looked up at him, curious, but quelled any questions she harboured. Beside him, Miroku bit his lip, but also said nothing. He wasn't about to tell his friend to stop, even if he did feel Shippou needed to lay still. Of all of them, Inuyasha knew what to do with the injured demon most. So instead, he stood and waited for his friend to make a move. Without a word, the dog-demon began walking, absently stepping over a particularly large chunk of arm laying shredded on the ground. Miroku followed suit, stopping only to help Sango get to her feet.  
  
Time almost seemed to stop as the three walked through the open field in the steadily darkening twilight. Even when they stopped to rest a little and have some food-Sango made a quick, cold meal, then moved off to the side to tend to Shippou-everything moved in slow motion. No one talked. No one had anything to say.  
  
It was while they were cleaning up their temporary camp that Inuyasha heard it. The noise was faint, almost indistinct, but he heard it. Someone was screaming.  
  
His head shot up and instantly his nose went to work. The wind was weak, but he could still catch the scents of the surrounding area and, more importantly, the area around the waterfall that thundered distantly. And there it was-just like he'd smelt the other day.  
  
Kagome.  
  
And Sesshoumaru.  
  
Something smelled wrong, however. Growling fiercely, the half-breed hurried over to where Sango was giving Shippou some water. She was over the shock of finding her friend alive and was busy helping him stay that way-she wasn't so stupid as to believe he'd just get better. The kitsune was still unconscious and needed tending, but it was easy enough for the hunter to prop him up in her arms and let the water trickle down his throat. So it was that when Inuyasha very rudely plopped down beside her, Sango lost control of the water she was pouring and spilled it all over Shippou's face. In horror, the hunter ripped her ribbon from her tresses and dabbed it across her charge's face, soaking up the excess. Shippou never even flinched.  
  
Next to her, Inuyasha just grumbled, waiting impatiently for her to finish. She glared at him from the corner of her eye, a glare that spoke more than any words she could say. 'Don't you even dare say anything about the kitsune's condition or how I'm treating him if you want to hold on to the piddly little existence that you have right now.' For a brief moment, the half-demon flushed; then he quickly recovered his composure and Sango returned to helping Shippou drink.  
  
'He wants to talk, I bet,' she thought whilst dapping stray drops of water from the corner of Shippou's mouth. 'And with the kit, probably. Stupid, stupid half-demon.' "You can't talk to him, if that's what you're here about. In case you didn't notice," she added, not giving Inuyasha the satisfaction of looking his way, "Shippou is unconscious. No matter how much you may want to, you can't talk to him."  
  
Her companion scowled. "I know that, Sango, I'm not stupid." Again, she gave him the look. He ignored her. "I came to talk to you. I smelled them-over by the waterfall. I smelled Kagome and Sesshoumaru."  
  
Now he had her attention. Gently laying Shippou back down on the makeshift bed she'd made him, Miroku's lover stood, hands on hip. Her eyes were blazing dark as she asked: "When?"  
  
He motioned with his head back in the direction he'd been sitting in previously. "Just before I came over to talk with you. They're nearby, but the wind was really weak so I'm not sure how far. It could have been an old scent. What I'm more worried about is the scent itself." She raised an eyebrow at that and he continued. "Kagome didn't smell right. For that matter, neither did that bastard, Sesshoumaru."  
  
She pursed her lips in thought, then blinked at him, head cocked to the side. "So why did you want to talk to me?" The dog-demon coughed into his hands, embarrassed. Sango grinned. So that's what he wanted, huh? She couldn't help but laugh, cutting him short, even as he opened his mouth to talk. Holding back her giggles for a moment, she said: "You wanted to know if we should go and fight now, or later, right?"  
  
Abashed, he nodded. She laughed some more.  
  
Behind them, something moved. Instantly prepared for the attack, the two both gazed in shock as Shippou looked up at them, his eyes glassy from pain and just waking up. Sitting up, he blinked slowly, like in a daze, then reached out for them and began whimpering. Sango was beside him before he could even begin to cry, hushing him and holding him close. The kit buried his face in her chest and cried loudly, his words muffled in the fabric of her kimono. Sango turned to Inuyasha, her face set. The half-demon nodded; whoever did this to the runt was going to pay.  
  
'Poor Shippou,' she thought sadly, gently rubbing his back with tender hands. He hiccoughed and buried his face deeper, whimpering. 'First Kagome disappears, then she's taken away just after we find her and now this. Poor child...he doesn't deserve to cry anymore, he really doesn't...'  
  
Sometime during her thoughts Inuyasha took a seat beside her, reaching out a hand to clasp his companion's shoulder lightly. Startled by his sudden appearance, the demon hunter sucked in a quiet breath, then sighed. Smiling weakly up at her friend, she said softly: "I hate to see him so, Inuyasha. He didn't do anything to deserve it..."  
  
Her companion shrugged; then he seemed to think batter of it and sighed instead. "No one deserves it, Sango, but that doesn't stop it from happening. And if I could do more, I would, but right now all we can do is find out what happened and keep moving. Then...well, we'll see what happens then..."  
  
"Kagome..."  
  
In a flash Inuyasha had Shippou in his hands, holding the fox-demon in front of him. Sango cried out and reached for her charge; Inuyasha barked at her to stay still and looked his friend in the eyes, the gold flecked with a dark, seething concern. Gruffly, the half-breed demanded: "Runt, do you know where Kagome is?"  
  
"Inuyasha!" Sango hissed, slapping the dog-demon hard upside the skull. "What the hell do you think you're doi-"  
  
"Shut up, Sango!" he snapped, his eyes never leaving Shippou's. For his part, the kitsune didn't flinch, sniffing occasionally instead. "I'm not fooling around here, this is something I need to know!" He peeked at her from the corner of his eye, then grunted. "I'm not so mean as to hurt him, you know," he said, his voice soft. "I wouldn't hurt him..."  
  
The kit continued to sniffle but didn't try to move. When Inuyasha turned back to him, he faced his companion calmly as the half-demon asked again: "Do you know where Kagome is? It's important, Shippou...do you know?"  
  
There was silence as the three stared at each other. Then Shippou's bottom lip began to quiver, his eyes teared up and with a wail he wrapped his young arms around Inuyasha's neck and cried. "Kagome! Inuyasha, it was terrible! Kagome...I didn't even get to hold her! Kagome...! I want my Kagome...!"  
  
Awkwardly, Inuyasha wrapped his arms around Shippou and held him while the kit cried. Looking at Sango from the corner of his eye, he mouthed: 'Want to get Miroku over here?' She nodded and quietly got up to find her love. Inuyasha sighed. Good, now he'd have a moment alone.  
  
While she was gone, Dog Boy pulled Shippou away from him, gently wiping away the kit's tears. "Hey, runt," he whispered, grinning at his friend; Shippou blinked and sniffed. "I'm sorry I was so rough with you. You okay?"  
  
Shippou nodded and sniffed again. Then he giggled. "You asked Sango to leave so you could apologise to me without looking like a wimp, didn't you, Inuyasha?" The half-demon scowled and blushed, his cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk's. Shippou laughed again, then hugged his friend warmly, his small arms wrapped around the half-breed. "Thank you."  
  
"For what...?"  
  
He didn't get an answer, however, because Sango and Miroku returned at that moment. The priest had a bit of a red mark on his face and Sango's cheeks were puffed out in exasperation. The two sat down-well, Miroku sat and his companion plopped-near where Inuyasha sat, Shippou in hand. Up close as they were, the red mark looked uncannily like a hand...The dog-demon raised a curious eyebrow at his fellow male; the monk grinned sheepishly, but didn't comment.  
  
'Fool priest,' Inuyasha thought humorously, 'he probably tried to get Sango to cuddle or something. Pervert.' In his arms, Shippou seemed to have the same idea; the kit giggled every time he looked at the priest, his small cheeks rosy from embarrassment. 'Hah, he's just too predictable.'   
  
They sat silent for a while, Inuyasha grinning to himself as he thought about what mess the monk got himself into this time. Then Miroku leaned forward and ruffled Shippou's hair, drawing the kit's attention. He smiled. "So, Shippou, do you think you can tell us what happened now?"  
  
Shippou went silent and peered at the ground, but he didn't start crying, nor did he get upset. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow; so that's what the priest was doing. 'Clever,' he mused, noting that Miroku was still petting Shippou's head and leaning down to talk to the kitsune. 'He came over here like that to give Shippou something to laugh at-so that he could calm the run down. Very, very clever indeed. Maybe he's not as predictable as I thought...' "Miroku..."  
  
The priest rolled his eyes upward to look at Inuyasha, then pressed a finger to his lips and smiled. When he was sure the half-breed wasn't going to say anything more, Miroku went back to talking to Shippou, the red mark on his face a bright contrast to the solemness in his voice. "It's all right, little one, if you don't want to talk. We won't make you. But this is important," he concluded, sitting back and letting his hand fall from the fox-demon's head.  
  
Nothing happened for a while. The four companions sat quietly in the dark field, the faint glimmer of stars pricking the night sky. Inuyasha did his best not to fidget under the pressure of wanting to know. 'He'll tell us eventually...' the demon gritted to himself. 'I just need...to be patient...' Without realising it, the half-demon's claws began tearing at the ground, bringing up large clumps of earth. 'Please, runt, tell me where Kagome is. Tell me what happened. I have to...I absolutely have to know!'  
  
"I..." The sudden sound cut through the silence and Inuyasha nearly fell over in excitement. The runt was going to talk! Finally, he'd learn something! Everyone leaned inward at the sound of Shippou's squeaky voice, anticipation gnawing at their insides. Inuyasha knew not to push the kit, but he was sorely tempted. He needed to know what happened! It took every bit of strength he possessed not to shake the information out of his friend.  
  
Turning his head to face his demon companion, Shippou bit his lower lip, then let out a long sigh. Like a child, the fox-demon pushed himself closer to his friend's body, burying himself in the red fabric of Inuyasha's robe. When he was comfortable, the kit began:  
  
"We...we came into the clearing yesterday afternoon...because we saw Kagome sitting in the field. I...I was so happy!" he murmured, half his face pressed into the dog-demon's chest. "So, I ran out to her...Shoukaki told me to stop, but...I..."  
  
"Speaking of Shoukaki, whatever happened to the little thing...?" Miroku interjected. "I just realised she wasn't anywhere near the demons..."  
  
"Miroku, shh. He'll tell us eventually." Sango had moved closer and hushed her lover with a hand to his. The priest looked down at her hand on his and smiled. Reversing his grip so that he held her fingers in his palm, he squeezed lightly. She smiled back at him and listened quietly as Shippou continued his tale.  
  
"Shoukaki told me to stop-I could hear her say stop. I wondered why she'd tell me to stop, since Kagome...because Kagome was right there and I hadn't seen her in so long so why should I stop-I didn't want to! So I kept running and I cried: 'Kagome! Kagome!' so that she knew it was me...And she stood up and looked at me and-Inuyasha, she looked just like she always has! She was pretty and caring and her eyes were so bright and loving that I couldn't possibly stop! She...she looked like Kagome always looks...  
  
"So I ran...And then there was this terrible, terrible pain on my neck and I couldn't see. My face...I was against the ground...because Sesshoumaru was there. He wouldn't let me even touch Kagome...he said: 'I see you made it here after all. This Sesshoumaru welcomes you, fox-demon.' Then he picked me up and threw me back against a rock...it hurt so much, but I tried to get back up because I couldn't let him win...cause Kagome...she was...she was..."  
  
Tears welled up in the kit's eyes as he floundered. Sango made as though to grab him, but Miroku pressed her back, shaking his head. "Miro--?"  
  
He shushed her and squeezed her hand tightly. "Don't, my love. He needs to work this out himself right now-coddling him won't take away the pain."   
  
"I can't stand to see him like this, Miroku!" she replied, trying to yank her hand free. "Giving him a little bit of comfort won't hurt him any!" Turning away from him, she tried again to break free and go to the cub crying a few feet away.  
  
The priest sighed; using all the force he had that wouldn't hurt her, he pulled the demon hunter to him, gaining an "oof!" of surprise as she collapsed against him. He gave her one of his infuriating looks that set her teeth on edge. "Sango, if he doesn't get this out now, he might not get another chance for a while. Do you want these terrible feelings of his boiling inside him?" She pouted and shook her head slowly. He smiled. "I thought not. Besides," he finished, looking at the fox-demon trembling and crying in Inuyasha's protective arms, "I don't think he realises we're here anymore. His world consists of the past and Inuyasha and to remove him from that state may damage him more than help. So please, sit still."  
  
Again she nodded, but not without a hint of reproach. "Fine," she whispered. "You've asked a lot of me today, but all right. I'll let him be-for now. But the moment he really needs me..." Miroku nodded, then let her go and she sat up, rubbing her wrist where he'd held her tightest and glaring daggers. The priest suffered her looks calmly; when she finally looked away, however, he sighed in relief. Sango was scary when she was mad. Hopefully she wouldn't stay so for very long.  
  
"Thank you," he murmured at her back. She "hmphed;" a moment later, her hand snaked out and she took his fingers in hers, squeezing lightly. 'You're welcome,' the touch said and Miroku was grateful her anger had subsided. Now they just needed to wait.   
  
It took a while for Shippou to compose himself, but eventually he was able to speak again. Wiping his nose with the back of his hand, he whispered: "Shoukaki got really mad, then. I couldn't move well, because I'd gotten hurt when I hit the rock, so I couldn't see it all. But Shoukaki, she...she got really mad. Her eyes were black and those cord things appeared. She was screaming-it sounded like someone dying. And then she attacked Sesshoumaru. He fought her off for a long time, then he stopped and grabbed the cord she flung at him. He ripped it from her and sent her flying. She...she couldn't keep her balance very well...because she doesn't have a right arm anymore..." Sango gasped, her cry ignored as the kitsune continued on.  
  
"By now Jaken came-he gabbed Kagome and took her away, along with Rin who was screaming and doing her best to stop Sesshoumaru from hurting Shoukaki. She didn't know Shoukaki was a ghost, I guess...I could move a little and I crawled after the frog, but he hit me with his staff...it hurt, but I kept trying. Kagome was screaming something...And then Shoukaki was up and fighting again. She looked...she was glowing...like a bright, frightening star...just pure white like a ghost...Sesshoumaru looked her over and said: 'You won't take away my trap.' Then he turned and walked away...  
  
"Shoukaki...she calmed down and ran over to me...she ripped up her kimono and wrapped my wounds...and then we sat. I cried a lot and she held me and told me I needed to be strong, because crying doesn't solve anything. I...I couldn't get Kagome back if I cried-I wouldn't be able to beat you, either, she said. I wanted to save Kagome instead of you, Inuyasha...I wanted to be the strong one-strong, just like you....but I couldn't...I couldn't even touch her..."  
  
Inuyasha nodded, his arms tightening around the boy in his lap. So the runt wanted to be like him, huh? 'Poor choice in role models, runt. Poor choice indeed...I can't save Kagome any better than you.' "Don't try so hard, runt-you'll hurt yourself." Shippou looked up at him, his pain completely exposed; the hanyou shook his head and winked. "No one should be like me," he continued, whispering. "I'm too dangerous for my own good."  
  
The boy blinked, then nodded slowly, his features softening. He snuggled up close again and took a deep breath. Then he continued: "We stayed at that place for most of the night, Shoukaki watching over me and floating around to make sure Sesshoumaru and the others didn't come close. I...I fell asleep...so I don't know how long it was before your brother attacked again. But I woke up to hear Shoukaki screaming...she was fighting again, this time a giant ogre. It...it was right near me and trying to get to me-it frightened me a lot when I woke up-and her ropes were tearing away parts of its flesh. But it kept coming and before I could get away, the thing grabbed me.   
  
"I-I couldn't breathe. I tried to get away but it was holding on to me really tight and I couldn't breathe-my whole body felt like it was going to cave in. I was able to wriggle one arm out and I called my fox-fire. The demon's eye was scorched along with the rest of its face, then I threw another spell at it and burned its chest. Shoukaki was fighting something else...I could hear her behind me...but I couldn't see her and she couldn't help me-no one could help me and I was so scared. I started crying again and calling for you, Inuyasha...because you're strong and you'd take the ogre down...but no one came."  
  
"The demon was still alive and when it recovered from me burning it, it...it started squeezing more. I screamed...and screamed...but no one came and it just got worse-it hurt so much. I wanted someone to save me..." He trailed off momentarily and the three with him allowed him to catch his breath. Sango made as though to move to him and hold him, but Miroku's hand on hers kept her anchored. 'Now is not the time,' his touch said. 'Please, now is not the time.' So she sat still. No one spoke; instead, they waited. After a time, the kitsune coughed and continued.   
  
"I think I called for Kagome. It hurt so much I wanted her there...and then there was this intense light-like a star had fallen to earth and was right there. I could see other demons-lots of demons-all fall to the ground, writhing. They did it when the light touched them. There were scorch marks on the ground all over...it smelled terrible. The ogre...he was dying...but he kept squeezing...he wouldn't stop and Kagome wouldn't come and Shoukaki wasn't with me and you weren't there, Inuyasha. I was dying and no one was there...  
  
"Then the demon collapsed and I just clung to it, staring off into space. That's when I saw her...Kagome...Kagome was there, with her bow and arrows...and she was glowing. She was glowing and her eyes were dark and she was looking up at me but she didn't see I was still alive-she looked right through me...but she was crying...Then Shoukaki shot forward from somewhere and she blazed...just like a fallen star...and she attacked Kagome...  
  
"They fought for a long time...but Kagome wasn't herself! She was really stiff-like when she shot you, Inuyasha. And Shoukaki...she didn't hit Kagome herself...only her weapons...like she knew...and then they disappeared in a huge ball of light...It got really hot after that-like I was surrounded by my fox-fire...the bandage that Shoukaki made me disappeared...then they were...gone and I was staring at nothing...just...nothing...The light faded away and...and bled into darkness and I couldn't...see...anything after that..." Tears trekked down his face and he finished in a choked-off voice: "I didn't...see...Kagome...again..."  
  
As he broke down into tears, Sango broke away from Miroku and gathered the fox-demon into her arms, moving off to the side as quickly as she could. The priest followed after and made to grab for her-she jerked to the side; her eyes blazed as she looked the monk over and ground out: "Damn you to hell and your stupid ways. I won't let him cry alone anymore."  
  
Miroku worked his jaw at that, but eventually settled back down and said nothing. Instead, he let her have her way and watched as she swung the kit back and forth in her arms, murmuring to him like a mother to her child. 'A mother...' he thought, settling down against a nearby tree. 'Maybe I was wrong to keep her from helping him. Maybe she can help him calm down more than I thought.' The thought held some weight and he regretted holding her back. 'We all make mistakes,' he concluded, almost sadly and continued to watch her take care of the kitsune.  
  
A short ways away, Inuyasha listened to Sango hiss at her priest, then shrugged. It really was their problem now, he decided. Shippou was in good hands with the demon hunter and the dog-demon had quite a bit to think about. Like tomorrow and saving his love from that bastard Sesshoumaru. The sky above was dark as hell and as much as he wanted to save Kagome from his brother, his body demanded rest. So he laid back down on the cold grass, and yawned, the vague whispers from Sango's direction lulling him to sleep.   
  
Sango sat off to the side with Shippou, helping him to drink-she tried to give him some food but his body couldn't hold it yet and he just threw it back up. She also re-bandaged him as best she could, tearing up a spare blanket to give him some makeshift clothing. "It's not much," he heard her say, "but it'll have to do. I'm sorry."  
  
There was a quiet reply and she asked: "Are you sure you want to?" Some more whispers followed to which she sighed and softly replied: "Okay, then. Here, let me help you. I don't want you to strain yourself anymore; you did a lot today, Shippou, thank you. You deserve a lot more rest than we can offer."   
  
Her voice grew louder and Inuyasha looked up to see her standing next to him, Shippou in her steady arms. The kitsune was half-asleep, but still managed to smile down at the dog-demon. Sango knelt down and laid the kitsune beside him, then stood again. When Inuyasha looked at her oddly, she smiled and shrugged. "He wanted to sleep next to you tonight." Then she turned and began walking away. "Well, goodnight, you two. Sleep well." The half-breed could make out the shape of her waving hand in the air, then she was gone, off to her own side.  
  
'Probably sitting with Miroku,' he thought, noting the monk's vague silhouette against the tree line. Against his will, he sighed. 'Lucky bastards. But, soon...'  
  
There was movement at his side and Inuyasha looked down to see Shippou curling up next to his side, the kit's head resting on the dog-demon's chest. For a second, it was almost as though Kagome were back with him, curled up beside him and breathing heavily in her sleep, the breath from her lips warm against him; then the memory was gone and he was left with the dark night and a small, frightened and very wounded fox-demon curled up beside him. Once again, Inuyasha sighed.  
  
Curling up so that his friend was lying in a pocket next to him, Kagome's love smiled at the sleeping boy next to him. 'Strength, huh? All of this, just to be strong...and he thinks he failed? Stupid kit...' "Don't worry, runt," he whispered to the fox-demon, pulling the child close. "I promise, when we save her, you'll be the first to touch her. Because you're a lot stronger than you think you are..."  
  
The boy pushed closer and murmured something that sounded like "thanks." Inuyasha closed his eyes and let himself fall asleep to the sounds of the forest behind him and the wind on the open field. 'Tomorrow,' he thought as he drifted off. 'It all ends tomorrow...' 


	14. Though We Rant

Wooooooooow, I am really sorry about the long wait for this chapter. Finals, writer's block and laziness all converged upon me at the same time, making it nigh on impossible for me to get anything done. I tried to make it a little longer because of it, but still. Damn, I'd kill me if I were you people.  
  
Anyhow, we're fast approaching the end. I refuse to stick my foot in my mouth anymore than I already have by giving a chapter count till the end. This story has a history of taking ME for a ride while being written so I'm not even sure as to when it's going to end. Probably soon, but don't count your chickens. Heehee, chickens. Sorry.  
  
I hope you enjoy this very overdue chapter. It's about five pages longer than usual, so...maybe that will make up for the huge delay. (Yeah, right...) Please enjoy and thank you for sticking with me for so long.  
  
  
  
  
Where Lost Souls Meet Again  
Chapter Fourteen: Though We Rant...  
  
  
  
  
Something was tugging at his ear.  
  
Inuyasha's ear twitched beneath the constant tugging as the dog-demon's eyes slowly opened to the pale light of the morning. In the distance, the sun was just beginning to rise above the horizon, its glow bleeding across the open sky and smearing the landscape with reds and yellows. Clouds stretched languidly across the horizon, their thin trails tinted pink and amber in the glow of the rising sun. The waterfall gently roaring in the distance sparkled and flared in such a way so that each time the light connected the water cascading into the basin disappeared into a faerie-coloured prism. It was beautiful.  
  
It would have been more so were Inuyasha not besieged by this relentless, annoying tugging.   
  
It was just like Kagome to wake him up in the worst fashion she knew, he thought sourly, squinting his eyes against the glare. He hated mornings-the light made his head hurt. So did rubbing his ears. But no one seemed to care about that, no. '"Let's just pluck at those cutsy little triangles on Inuyasha's head",' he mocked to himself, the voice in his head taking on a distinctly female timbre. '"Oh, it's just so much fun". Damn girl. She always does this.' Somewhere inside, Inuyasha was fairly certain she did it on purpose, just to see him squirm, especially considering how much her companion loathed having his ears subjected to such treatment. Well, he'd show her a thing or two.  
  
Rolling over onto his back, the half-breed snatched at the hands offending his head, grinning devilishly. She meeped and he could see her shadow moving just beyond his peripheral vision. His grin widened. Oh, he'd definitely teach her a thing or two for messing with his ears. Damn straight he'd teach her. With the culprit's hands in tow, Inuyasha snapped his wrists back and brought his arms down full force, dragging his victim toward him. There was a screech as his captive shot forward over his head to land with a plop on his chest.  
  
"Haha! Caught you in the act, huh, Kagome? Though you could just tug my ears...did...you..." His voice faded away as he looked with lidded eyes at not a captured Kagome but a trapped Shippou. The kit wriggled about, trying to free his hands from the dog-demon's grip. When Inuyasha's voice faded away into stunned silence, Shippou stopped struggling long enough to give his friend a childish, almost prankish grin.  
  
"Hi there, Inuyasha. I thought I'd wake you up today."  
  
For his part, Inuyasha did not throttle the kit when he grinned. Gritting his teeth almost painfully, the half-breed forced his hands to open-even though they desperately wanted to close and break the kitsune's wrists. Every fibre of his body wanted to brutally lash out at the snickering demon sitting daintily on his belly for daring to wake him in such a way-a way that he not only hated but that made him think Kagome was still there. Kagome...Thinking of his love clenched at the half-breed's heart like a vice, making it even harder not to toss Shippou halfway across the clearing. But no matter how much he wanted to, he knew he never could. Difficult as that may be. 'The runt is injured,' he reminded himself-continually-as he shifted to a sitting position, Shippou still lounging in his lap. 'He almost died. If I were to toss him now, he might just do so. And then I would die, because Sango would kill me.' The clenching caught him again and he tagged on: 'So would Kagome...'His eye spasmed chaotically and his resolve began to waver as the fox-demon reached up and tugged on his ear again. 'Must...not...kill... runt...'  
  
Oh, but it was hard.  
  
Finally sensing the imminent pain promised to his person, Shippou let go of his companion's ear and scooted off his lap. Inuyasha's whole body twitched and spasmed with restrained violence-his teeth grinding was quite audible. For a second, Shippou felt a little bad about his stunt. He hadn't meant to get the dog-demon so worked up he was convulsing; he'd just wanted things to return to the barest hint of normalcy. A day in which Inuyasha didn't get upset with him was a strange day indeed. And after yesterday and the few days beforehand, Shippou could use as much normalcy as he could get.  
  
It was strange, though, he realised as he kicked the ground lightly, waiting for Inuyasha's spasm to cease. He'd never once before in his life considered actually seeking out his volatile friend's temper. Most of his time was spent running from it, instead. 'I was always running away,' he mused, his eyes riveted on a particularly intriguing pebble. 'I always wanted to be protected. Strange that I was looking to get thwaped today...' He sighed and bent over to pick up the stone. 'I guess that's what happens when you almost die. You look for the things that always happened before-whether good or bad-and find comfort in them. Getting a thwap on the head is a lot safer and a lot more endearing than being crushed by a giant ogre...'   
  
Pulling his arm back, the kitsune let the stone fly, watching it until the pebble landed, disappearing among the dew-drenched grass and he couldn't see it anymore. For some reason, he smiled. 'So that's normalcy. Heh, it's odd, but...realising that makes me feel a lot older and wiser than I did a moment ago.' The kit's gaze wandered to a still twitching Inuyasha and his smile widened until he was grinning broadly. He almost felt like his old self. 'I'll have to tell Kagome how much I've grown up when we get her back later today. But first, I need to apologise to Inuyasha for upsetting him so much.'  
  
Happy with his newfound insight, Shippou took a seat beside his friend, still waiting for the dog-demon's fit to subside so that he could apologise for upsetting him so. While he sat watching Inuyasha calm down, something struck him from his thoughts that he hadn't thought to apply to the situation. Kagome wasn't here right now. But Inuyasha...had thought Shippou was Kagome. "'Caught you in the act, huh, Kagome?'" The words dove in at him and suddenly the kit felt even worse. No wonder why Inuyasha was so upset! He'd woken thinking Kagome was back and up to her old tricks again. The normalcy which the kitsune had sought when he woke suddenly became far more than he'd bargained for.  
  
Inuyasha getting mad at Shippou was normalcy.  
  
But Kagome playing with Inuyasha's ears was also normalcy.  
  
And so as he realised his error, Shippou began to cry.  
  
Shaking off the last of his annoyance a few minutes later, the first thing Inuyasha heard was Shippou crying. 'Oh great,' he grumbled to himself, eyes rolling to the back of his skull, 'I made the runt cry. Probably squeezed his wrists too hard.' A long sigh escaped his lips and he turned to give the kitsune a gentle pat on the head. Why'd he have to get stuck with the whiny brat? Where was Ka-Sango when you needed her? Giving himself a mental beating, the half-breed ground his teeth together. Something was wrong with the runt, he reminded himself, angry at his slip-up. Kagome wasn't there to help and he couldn't keep kicking himself because of it. Especially since the kit needed comforting now. It was just... 'I'm not cut out for this type of thing...What the hell am I supposed to do?'   
  
"There, there," he droned, unsure what else to say to his weeping friend. "There, there."  
  
Now, he'd expected Shippou to react to his "comforting," but he'd never expected the kit to act the way he did. Crying even harder than before, Shippou buried his face in Inuyasha's chest. The half-breed grimaced-the runt was getting snot on his clothes. Patting him awkwardly on the back, Inuyasha swallowed hard. He could really use some help here, but judging from the sure lack of females around him at the moment, it was obvious he was on his own. Looking away in embarrassment, he mumbled out: "Hey, runt, I'm, uh, sorry if I hurt you. I didn't mean to-"  
  
"I'm sorry, Inuyasha!" Shippou wailed in interruption. "I didn't mean to make you sad! I'm sorry!" The kit's voice was muffled from the other demon's clothing and thick with emotion. His small hands trembled in the folds of the cloth; suddenly, being drenched in snot didn't matter so much to the half-breed. Slowly, the fox-demon tilted his face upward toward his friend. Inuyasha couldn't help but flinch back from that gaze. "I just...I just wanted you to get mad at me like you always do!" the kit whispered hoarsely. "I didn't...mean...to remind you of Kagome...!" Saying her name sent him into a renewed bout of sobbing and Shippou buried his face again into Inuyasha's robes, sniffing loudly.  
  
Understanding dawned on him as the half-demon looked down at the shuddering little boy clinging desperately to him. 'So that's it...the runt was crying because he thought I was mad at him for acting like Kagome...' A smile touched his lips and he found himself ruffling the kit's fur playfully. Shippou sniffed and fidgeted under the attention, but didn't pull his face away from the comfort of his friend's robe. Inuyasha's smile got a little bigger. 'I can't blame him, really, since I was mad about it. I wouldn't have hurt him for it-well, not much-but he didn't have to get so upset over it, either.' "Hey, runt," Inuyasha murmured, tapping Shippou's chin so he was looking up at the half-breed's face; the dog-demon grinned, causing his companion to blink owlishly. His grin widened. "Stop being such a wimp and pull yourself together. You're getting your snot all over me."  
  
"Inuyasha..."  
  
The dog-demon shook his head and ruffled Shippou's red curls some more. "Hey, you're a grown up now, right runt? You took on an ogre and lived. So what are you doing crying into my lap like a girl?" He flicked the fox cub between the ears and laughed when the boy fell over backward with a yelp. "Kagome would be so pissed if she saw you crying like a baby. I thought you promised to save her?"  
  
Shippou looked up at his companion, rubbing the small bump between his eyes. "Inuyasha..."  
  
"There you go again, whining like a cub. Kagome's gonna kick the shit out of you when she finds out her 'hero' is just a snotty baby who cries into people's clothes." He grinned, then let the smile fade away when Shippou's lower lip began trembling violently. Leaning down so that his eyes were level with the kit's he whispered in a very quiet, somewhat solemn voice: "You know something, runt? I know that you're a lot stronger than this. Sure you were a cowardly, whiny cub when I first met you-well, even up until just a few months ago-but you're also the one who grew up the most since Kagome left. You didn't run away when you fought Sesshoumaru and you took on that demon even though it almost killed you. You physically grew up to get my ass moving, even though you felt terrible the whole time. You took on the soot-wolf by yourself, as well. Where do you get off crying now? You have nothing to apologise to me for, especially not now." He pulled back, then smacked Shippou upside the head. "So stop crying and get ready to save Kagome."  
  
The kitsune rubbed his head, pouting and glaring up at his friend. Then he nodded and smiled. Still petting his head to ease the pain a bit, Shippou stood and said emphatically: "Okay, Inuyasha. And I'll show you. I am the hero that'll save Kagome! And I'll do it without crying. Just you wait and see! You'll never see me cry again!"  
  
"That's good." And just because he could, Inuyasha smacked the kit again. When Shippou growled at him and glared fire, the half-breed raised his arms in defence. "I just wanted to make sure! Really."  
  
Behind him there was a rustle, a crash, then a scream and Inuyasha shot forward so fast he planted his face in the dirt. Shippou yelled and fell to the side, flailing his little arms for all he was worth to try and keep his balance. He landed with a thud beside Inuyasha, slightly dazed. He really didn't need to be falling all over the place...  
  
Shaking the dizziness from his head, the kitsune looked up just in time to see Sango bolting over from where she'd been making breakfast, her eyes ablaze and focused on the dog-demon struggling to his knees. Shippou's eyebrow raised slightly; this could be rather interesting.  
  
Inuyasha stood just as Sango reached him. The demon hunter threw her arm back and brought it around with as much force as she could, sending her companion sprawling again. Standing over his prostrate form, hands on hips, she yelled: "What do you think you're doing, hitting Shippou like that? You inconsiderate idiot!"  
  
"I am not!" the half-breed retorted, jumping from his place on the ground, one hand pressed firmly to the glowing red spot on his cheek. The demon hunter raised an eyebrow and leaned back slightly, arms crossed beneath her breasts. She pursed her lips. He scowled. "I'm not! It was just a playful tap!"  
  
She nodded, her eyes still the size of saucers. "Oh, so that's all it was. Just a playful tap, huh? Well, here, I'll show you a playful tap." Her eyes dark and brows drawn, the demon hunter pulled her arm back for another swing at the dog demon. Inuyasha braced himself for the attack, figuring it was useless to try and dodge her; Shippou stifled a laugh that tried desperately to break away and resound through the air. This was too good! He hadn't seen a fight like this in too long!  
  
Sango's fist came around at lightning speed, her knuckles white and aimed directly at the dog-demon's cheek. Inuyasha waited for it, his eyes open and glaring the whole time.  
  
Just before her fist connected, however, there was a terrifying scream from across the clearing and everything stopped. The world was suddenly blanketed in silence. Both Inuyasha and Sango turned their heads toward the origin of the noise, their small spat forgotten for the time being; the demon hunter's fist hung suspended in the air, scant inches from her target's face. Neither noticed. Shippou contorted himself so that his upper body faced in the direction of the noise while his lower body remained facing the two combatants. When the strain of keeping his body turned so began to aggravate his wounds, he flipped all the way around, finally taking a cross-legged position. After that, no one moved.  
  
There was silence for the longest time. Slowly, Sango dropped her hand, unaware of the dull ache forming in her muscles from holding her arm in a suspended position for such a protracted amount of time. Inuyasha swivelled his ears this way and that, hoping to pick up the noise again. He couldn't hear anything; even the wind was silent. 'What the hell is going on...?'  
  
Minutes passed. Without any of them noticing, Miroku stepped up beside Sango, a hand wrapping itself protectively around the hunter's waist. She leaned into him silently but made no other motion that she acknowledged his presence. All her senses were attuned to the open glade ahead of her. In the distance, the waterfall glimmered innocently as the sun made his way higher into the sky.  
  
Miroku didn't understand what was going on. Standing on the other side of camp, busy making breakfast, he didn't notice anything as he rearranged the pots and utensils Sango dropped in her mad dash to reprimand Inuyasha for being too rough with the kit. Thinking about Shippou had the monk's eyes automatically roving about, looking for the kitsune; he breathed in silent relief to see the boy sitting-uninjured-not far away. Like the others, his senses were strained outward, toward the waterfall and across the open expanse of grass. Miroku chewed on his lower lip. Why was everyone so focused on that direction?  
  
'I don't get it. What happened here? One minute Sango and Inuyasha were fighting as usual and the next everything's forgotten. Did I miss something important?' Curious, the monk looked at his love askance, noting her severe expression; like him, she was biting her bottom lip, too deep in thought to notice the action. Her hands played nervously with the hem of her robe and her foot stamped lightly against the ground. Miroku's eyebrows arched questioningly. 'What is she so worried about...?'  
  
"San-"  
  
Her foot slamming on his silenced him faster than the glare Inuyasha directed his way. Biting back a cry of pain, the monk released Sango's waist in order to grab his own foot. He massaged the appendage gently, hopping up and down to keep his balance. She didn't have to stamp so hard... 'I only wanted to know what's going on-'  
  
Suddenly, the most god-awful noise pierced through his thoughts, cutting short anything the monk had in mind at the moment. It tore across the silence like some terrible claw, rending everything to pieces. Inuyasha's ears swivelled back and his eyes squeezed shut as the scream ripped through his auditory senses. Shippou whimpered and covered his ears, rocking back and forth to ward off the harshness of the sound. Sango bit her lip harder but let the scream inundate her senses. Miroku gasped when he saw a trickle of blood slip down his love's chin, her teeth having punctured the soft flesh of her mouth. She didn't even notice.  
  
"What...the hell...was that?"  
  
The monk's exclamation resounded in the silence left after the scream faded away into the trees. Sango turned her face to his, her eyes wide and skin as pale as snow. Miroku reached out and gently brushed a finger across her cheek, then down along her jaw and to her chin, where he wiped away the small trickle of blood. Seeing the red come away on his finger, she gasped and drew a hand to her lips. Her eyes sought his as her whole body trembled. "Miroku...?"  
  
Taking her into his arms, the monk ran his fingers through her raven locks, his voice soothing as he murmured to her. Next to them, Inuyasha let his ears unfold from where he'd pinned them to his head. His eyes were dark. When he spoke, it was to Shippou, the kit still sitting in front of him staring out toward the waterfall.  
  
"Oi, runt...Can you fight?"  
  
His question roused Sango, the demon hunter's eyes narrowing in anger. Stepping forward she hissed out vehemently: "Inuyasha, no!"  
  
He didn't even look at her, let alone acknowledge her admonition. "Well, runt, can you?"  
  
Shippou didn't answer for a long time. He kept his back to all the others, his face hidden away by his fiery hair. A tiny breeze picked at his tail, dragging the thick fur along the ground and kicking up flecks of dirt and grass. The only sound was Miroku's hushed whispers to Sango and the demon hunter's heavy breathing.  
  
Staring across the open expanse, the kitsune couldn't help but think about the night before, regardless of his recent vow to be strong and save Kagome. On this same plain, as the sun tipped down beneath the distant mountains, he'd fought for his life against an ogre. An ogre a thousand times more powerful than himself. He'd fought and fought, all alone as Shoukaki dealt with her own demons-and in the end he'd lost. He could still feel that terrifying grip, could hear his bones begin to snap. The blood running through his veins rushed to his ears and deafened him as his eyes rolled back to welcome oblivion's darkness. The kit couldn't forget the gnawing ache in his chest as that bone-jarring grip ripped all his hopes from him and dragged him toward death. He couldn't forget that he would never ever see Kagome or Inuyasha or the others again. Never...ever again. As he looked across the clearing at the waterfall thundering in the distance, Shippou remembered it all and felt his stomach flop. Something bitter was in his mouth.  
  
Behind him, he could hear Inuyasha ask him if he could fight. Fight...? Of course he could fight. He could always fight. 'And that's where the problem lies, doesn't it?' he thought darkly. The taste in his mouth grew stronger and he had to swallow it down. 'I can fight and fight until I can't move anymore, but it doesn't mean I can win. I can never win. I can't...I can't win against an ogre-what makes you think I can win against him, huh, Inuyasha? Well?' "What does it matter?" he whispered hoarsely. "I want to fight. I want to save Kagome...so bad...But what does it matter? What does fighting matter when I can't fight and win?"  
  
Even though he didn't look behind him, Shippou could tell that Inuyasha's face was drawn back angrily. Of course he'd be angry. He was Inuyasha, the all-powerful dog-demon. He hated weak things. 'Weak...He hates me, because I'm weak. Save Kagome? Ha! Stupid cub's dream, that's all it is. Sure, I can say over and over again...that I'm strong enough to do it. But...I'll never be anything more than the cowardly lump of fur that hid behind Kagome whenever a fight came up. I'll always be the defenseless, snivelling coward clinging to everyone else's pant legs. I can't win...I can't go out there and win...I can't...'  
  
A hand on his shoulder roused him from his thoughts and Shippou tilted his head back to see who was holding him. He blinked when he realised it was Inuyasha. Why was the half-breed looking at him like that? Was that...compassion...?  
  
"Shippou, don't talk like that..." Sango's voice carried across the small distance between them, sad and pleading. "You don't have to fight. Inuyasha, he doesn't have to-"  
  
"Shut up, Sango!" Inuyasha's eyes never left the kit's and his voice was low and calm, but the admonition caught Sango by surprise. Taken aback, the demon hunter clenched her fists at her sides and took a deep breath. But although she glared daggers at her companion, she didn't say anything more.  
  
Inuyasha waited a moment to see if she would respond, then turned his attention on the fox-demon sitting in front of him when Sango failed to speak up. His voice was amazingly quiet, Shippou noted, even as his eyes blazed with suppressed anger. Where was his compassion now? "I don't know what you're talking about, runt, but you'd better get that shit out of your head this instant. Did I ask you if you could win? I don't care if you can or not-I just wanted to know if you could fight. Because, quite frankly, I don't think you can win anyhow."  
  
"Inuyasha!"  
  
"I said: Shut up, Sango! I'm not talking to you." Inuyasha's eyes bore holes into Shippou's head as he continued: "You piss poor excuse for a demon. And after what you said to me not ten minutes ago, too. All you are is arrogant talk, just spouting off nonsense to make yourself look better. But you can't do any of it, can you? Ha, save Kagome? You're right-you'll never win. I don't even see why I bothered to ask. You'll just get in the way, like always. Forget I even asked you to come along. You're worthless to me, now. I'll go save Kagome alone." Standing, the dog-demon turned and began walking out across the clearing.  
  
Shippou didn't move. Sango broke away from Miroku and collapsed to her knees beside the kit, wrapping warm arms around him and pulling him close. The fox-demon didn't feel it and even if he could, he didn't want to. Inuyasha was right: he would always be in the way. He'd always be hiding in someone else's arms. Sango...was just giving him what he deserved. A coward's embrace and a whimpering child's escape route.  
  
But he didn't want it.  
  
He didn't want to run away anymore.  
  
He wanted to follow through with what he said and be a hero.  
  
So why couldn't he get up and fight? Why couldn't he fight? Why was he rooted to that spot, shaking and frightened and unable to follow Inuyasha toward the origin of that agonising scream?  
  
Why was he always a coward?  
  
'"You're worthless to me now. I'll save Kagome alone." Why? Why would he say that? He told me...he told me I was strong!' The words echoed in his skull, over and over, never ceasing. '"I know that you're a lot stronger than this." But I'm not...I'm not stronger...Why? Why can't I be stronger? Inuyasha! Why can't I be stronger? "I know that you're a lot stronger than this."' Tears trickled lightly down his cheeks, wetting his face and dripping onto his hands as they clasped the fabric of his pants. The water darkened his skin where it hit. "Why...?"  
  
Sango pulled away from him, her eyes wide. Reaching up, she caught one of her friend's tears on a slender finger. "Shippou...?"  
  
Shippou sniffled loudly, the tears blinding him. "Why? Why? Why why why why why?" With each successive query his tears increased along with the anger seething beneath his skin. "Why, Inuyasha? Why?"  
  
Ahead, the dog demon stopped. Whether because he heard the fox-demon's question or because he was waiting for Sango and Miroku to join him, Inuyasha halted his advance and looked back toward where Shippou still sat, glaring after him. His ears swivelled forward.  
  
And then he laughed.  
  
Beckoning them all forward, he called out: "Why don't you come out here and answer that yourself, runt?"  
  
Shippou clenched his jaw painfully as he shot forward, the tears in his eyes dripping coldly down his face. Sango cried out as she fell forward, the kit suddenly gone from beside her. Miroku ran to keep her steady, his eyes on the demons about ready to clash a couple yards ahead of him. "Shippou..." he whispered, gathering Sango close to him.  
  
The two met in a flurry of fur, Shippou swinging wildly and Inuyasha laughing as he easily dodged each attack. For a time, Shippou forgot about his injuries, forgot about the pain in his body and focused solely on kicking Inuyasha's ass, anger rushing through him, propelling him forward. How dare Inuyasha treat him like useless baggage! He wasn't a coward! He promised he wouldn't be! He promised he'd save Kagome! So he wasn't a coward and he wasn't useless! "Inuyasha, I hate you!"  
  
The dog-demon barked a laugh and dodged another punch. "And that's something new? What made you get up and come out here, runt? I thought you couldn't fight? I thought you couldn't do anything?"  
  
At his query, Shippou's eyes popped open. The punch meant to land on Inuyasha's chest flew wide, throwing the kit off balance and sending him toppling to the ground in a heap. Heaving, the kitsune looked down at his hands that clenched the dirt, then up at the laughing dog-demon. Scowling, he cried: "Stop laughing at me, you jerk! What's so funny?"  
  
Inuyasha just laughed harder, sinking to the ground beside his friend and wiping away the tears that sat on his bottom lids. Wrapping a strong arm around the fox-demon, he gave the other a stout squeeze and said: "See? I told you you weren't as weak as that. You just needed to see it yourself."  
  
Shippou didn't think he could feel any angrier than he did just then. All of that talk...Inuyasha telling him he was useless and saying he would save Kagome alone...it'd all been show?! 'That...That...bastard! He made me angry on purpose! He...he...' The kitsune couldn't find the words to finish his thought, so instead he ground his teeth together angrily. How dare he do that? What, just because he was Inuyasha he could make Shippou feel like crap and get him out here and pick a fight and prove that he wasn't...a...coward...Turning his head to face his still-laughing companion, Shippou couldn't help the blush that crept across his cheeks. 'He did it...for me...So that's what he meant...'  
  
Inuyasha stopped laughing when he felt the small hand of his friend reach out and grab his robes. The kit was looking at him strangely, like he couldn't decide if he wanted to thank the dog-demon or send him to his grave. He was guessing it was probably the latter, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he just waited for the kit to speak.  
  
It took a while, but Shippou finally said, very softly: "I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I didn't realise what you were doing when you told me those things..." He turned his eyes away and focused on the ground, studying the marks his small hands had made earlier in earnest. Interesting marks, yes indeed they were. "And...I wanted to say thank you..."  
  
Nodding, the dog-demon smiled. "Of course, runt. It wasn't anything ha-What the hell are you doing?!"  
  
Before Inuyasha could finish his arrogant speech, Shippou was on him, clinging to the front of the older demon's robes and staring him down. The fox-demon's teeth ground together as he pulled his companion closer and snapped out: "And don't you ever do that to me again, you jerk! I almost believed you and gave up! I can't believe you would do that to me!"  
  
By now Sango and Miroku had joined the two, saving Inuyasha from having to come up with a good excuse as to why he'd put the kitsune through hell. Grabbing hold of the hem to Miroku's robe, the half-breed hauled himself to his feet, simultaneously knocking Shippou off his chest and sending the monk sprawling to the ground. Their yells were somewhat satisfying. The smack to his head from Sango wasn't quite so. The demon hunter glared at her friend, then bent over to help Shippou to his feet.   
  
"Sometimes, Inuyasha, I simply can't believe you."  
  
He shrugged. "And sometimes, Sango, I can't believe that you do." He grinned when she shot him a rather spiky look. "Come on. We need to get going. Whoever made that noise hasn't made it in a while, but I for one don't want to hear it again." His eyes darkened and he flexed his claws viciously. "Besides...I have the feeling Sesshoumaru is behind this somehow and I have to have a little...talk...with my big brother. So let's go."  
  
Sango scowled at him, but turned to follow as the dog-demon began his trek across the open expanse of grass. "Well, we wouldn't be stalling here if you didn't need to pick a fight every two seconds." Clinging to her back where he'd moved after she picked him up, Shippou giggled and nodded in agreement. Sango titled her head back and smiled at him, then continued walking.  
  
Miroku lay on the ground a moment or so longer, one hand outstretched, waiting for his love to help him up. When it became apparent that help wasn't coming, the priest pushed himself to his feet, scowling. Some people had no respect for the holy, he grumbled, picking up his staff and hurrying after the others. No respect at all.  
  
  
  
They reached the edge of the glen in about an hour and spent another walking the banks of the river beneath the falls. Thunder resounded everywhere as mist roiled about their feet and soaked their clothing. Miroku plucked at his robes distastefully, but didn't say anything. He'd already received enough looks for his initial comment about the humidity when they first arrived at the waterside; he didn't need to hear them again. 'Even Shippou has a smart comment all the time, now. I swear, the more time he spends with Inuyasha the worse he becomes. If only for the kit's sake, we need to get Kagome back. She'll knock some sense back into him.'  
  
Shippou skipped ahead, scouting the area for any of Sesshoumaru's underlings. They hadn't heard the scream since before Shippou and Inuyasha's fight; all of them were on edge, wondering why. Who had screamed? Why were they screaming? The answers to those thoughts made the kit shudder and he tried his best not to think of them. 'I just want to find Kagome and get out of here. Before she ends up being the one that screams...'  
  
He skittered lithely up the next knoll, peering out to the sides and into the distance. The waterfall thundered so loudly that his sense of hearing was all but null and void and the overpowering scent of water dulled his sense of smell enough to make it useless. 'Sesshoumaru picked a damn good spot for his little get-together, didn't he? Jerk.' Straining, the kit did his best to see through the swirling mist that seemed almost to spring from the ground itself, soaking into his skin. It was almost bad enough to knock out his eyesight. 'I hate this place.'  
  
Inuyasha came up behind him, crouching low. Even if they couldn't see anything from where they were, being up high and silhouetted by the mist made it easy for anyone else to see them. "Oi, runt, see anything yet?"  
  
"Obviously not," he responded, doing his best to keep the aching sarcastic reply he had in mind from coming forth. "I said I'd call to you when-and if, considering this stupid mist-I saw anything."  
  
"Well hurry up and see something. Kagome can't be far away-we've been walking for hours."  
  
Oh, how he wanted to say something harsh. But instead, Shippou just ground his teeth together and hissed out: "I'll tell you when."  
  
Just then, a bolt of lightning shot up from the earth, crackling fiercely in the dampness. Another bolt joined it and the two came crashing back down to earth, sending shudders through the soil. The demons braced themselves as the shock wave tore through their knoll. Behind them, they could hear Miroku cry out and land with a squishy thud on the ground.  
  
Turning to Inuyasha, Shippou smiled coldly and said: "Well, I saw something."  
  
"You know, if I wasn't worried about Kagome being in that blast, I'd smack you so hard..."  
  
Shippou grinned. "I know." Then he jumped up and ran back to Sango, the demon hunter helping her lover to his feet. They both nodded as the kit motioned emphatically for them to join him on the hillside, then he dashed back and resumed his place beside Inuyasha. Taking up the smile he'd worn just moments before, he chirped: "I told them."  
  
Inuyasha suppressed the urge to smack the kit hard upside the head and instead stood. Charging down the hill, he assumed the others were following close behind and focused all his attention on reaching the area where the lightning had struck. 'Kagome, please don't be where it hit. Oh gods please, don't be where it hit...'  
  
The dog-demon tore across the moist earth, sending sod and mud flying behind him as his claws raked across the ground. Up one hill, down another. Up another hill, jump a stream, skid down the opposite side and keep going. The pattern became a blur as the hanyou shot toward his destination. The sounds of his companions struggling to follow faded away as the distance between them grew, but he hardly even noticed. 'Kagome, please be safe...!'  
  
Inuyasha crested the latest hill and nearly smashed into a rather large rock sitting in his path. Growling in frustration, he pushed past it, only to halt once more. Behind him, the others struggled to get up the hill, Sango and Miroku breathing heavily in the wet air. Shippou ran up beside Inuyasha and stopped, the question he harboured for the dog-demon dying on his lips. "Oh no..."  
  
Ahead of them lay a smouldering, blackened ruin. Scorch marks tore across the destroyed earth; fragments of boulders scattered along the small valley, fire licking at their remains while others split open and popped from the remaining heat. The vague furrows of streams lay empty, the water forced from them, burned away by the ferocity of the lightning that not long ago had speared into the ground. What looked like the charred remains of living beings littered what land that wasn't covered by stone and fire. Sango gasped, finally reaching the crest and beholding the destruction for herself. Miroku said a silent prayer, clasping his staff with whitened knuckles.  
  
"Kagome..." Like a shot, Inuyasha tore down the hill, his mind racing furiously. The air was heavy and hot, electricity sizzling through the atmosphere. The dog-demon's breath burned his lungs as he inhaled the painful air, but he had to know. 'Kagome's scent...I have to find her scent...! Even after that attack, it would still linger. I could still smell it! Where is it...? Where is it?'  
  
Apparently, Shippou had the same idea, as the kit went dashing past the older demon, his small nose raised to the air and sniffing rapidly. He ran to each of the charred bodies, taking in as deep a draught as he could, then moving on. Long before Inuyasha checked all the bodies, the kitsune sat panting on the ruined ground, breathing heavily, exhausted. But he smiled when the others approached him, whispering: "I...I didn't smell her. She wasn't...here..."  
  
"Thank God," Sango breathed, leaning into Miroku as relief washed over her. "I was so worried..."  
  
Miroku nodded, turning to face Inuyasha as the half-breed loped up to them. The dog-demon was breathing heavily, but he didn't stop. He'd caught wind of another scent travelling beyond the vale, the smell tinged with char. So instead of waiting for the others, he barked a "Let's go!" and turned toward the next hill, intent on climbing it. Shippou shrugged and jogged after him. After a few minutes, Miroku began following, Sango leaning heavily against his arm. 'Please find her, Inuyasha,' he thought silently, knowing that Sango mirrored his wish.  
  
Inuyasha and Shippou raced across the landscape, following the lingering scent of char from the valley. Someone survived that massacre and they needed to know who. 'Whoever it is, they'll surely lead me to Kagome,' Inuyasha figured. 'And when I find them, I'll rip their throats out for what they did back there.'  
  
"Inuyasha! Over there!"  
  
The demons nearly collided with one another as Shippou made to dash across the path Inuyasha travelled. Inuyasha yelled, stumbling over the kit-he barely caught himself from smashing into the ground. "What the hell...!" he fumed, spinning around and following the fox-demon with his eyes as Shippou darted up the nearest hill. Biting back a string of curses, Inuyasha followed suit when he caught sight of a lone silhouette on the hilltop. The smell of char and death and decay wafted down from the heights on the thin breeze, setting the dog-demon's jaw on edge. He should have known...That bastard...Growling from deep in his throat, his eyes darkening in anger, the hanyou propelled himself forward even faster. Taking in as deep a breath as he could, he screamed: "Sesshoumaru!"  
  
Sesshoumaru turned at the sound of his name, easily side-stepping the attack his brother aimed at him. He just as easily dodged Shippou's sloppy attempt, staring contemptuously at the two sprawled on the ground in front of him. Eyes lidded and mouth tightly drawn, he sneered: "You ignorant fools. You have no idea what you've done."  
  
Inuyasha looked up from where he lay, his eyes afire with hatred. Preparing himself for his next launch, he ground out: "Just what the hell are you talking about?" Without waiting for an answer, he attacked. "You bastard!"  
  
Just as easily as before, Sesshoumaru dodged his brother's attack, glaring disdainfully at the half-demon. Ever so quietly, he said: "You're a fool, Inuyasha. And you may have just killed us all."  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?"  
  
His brother shook his head and looked out across the expanse of water swirling at the bottom of the hill. "Come see for yourself," he replied, his eyes not leaving the writhing masses that pooled at the basin's edge. "Come and see the face of your death with your own eyes."  
  
Scowling, Inuyasha stalked up the hill, claws ready to rip his sibling apart lest he try anything. When Sesshoumaru made no hostile move, the dog-demon slackened his guard and looked out in the direction his brother faced. He inhaled sharply, involuntarily taking a step back. Sesshoumaru only sneered at him again, saying nothing.  
  
Beneath them lay hundreds upon thousands of demons, milling along the water and crowding the land as more joined them from the black, seething void situated just beneath the roiling surface of the waterfall's basin. Erected in their midst was a pole, the surface harsh and covered in spines and needles. Glass shards littered the surface, reflecting the pale light that made it through the billowing clouds of mist. Those that didn't reflect light were dark with blood and glistened wetly. Three silent, weary shapes hung suspended from pegs.  
  
Inuyasha turned sharply and faced his brother, anger in his whole being. "What is that? Sesshoumaru, what is that? And where is Kagome?"  
  
The older demon looked at it dispassionately, replying: "A warning to us." His eyes were shadowed as he turned to face his brother. "Come, we can't stay here. And I don't have your woman anymore."  
  
"What makes you think I'll go anywhere with you, you asshole?" Inuyasha took a step back, prepared to fight. "And what do you mean you don't have her? Where-where the hell is she?" Inuyasha fought to keep his thoughts from unravelling too much. Now was not the time and place to lose his wits. "Damnit, Sesshoumaru. This is all your fault, so don't you dare think I'll go anywhere with you, you monster."   
  
Sesshoumaru sighed. "Fine. Stay here and die; I really don't care." And he turned to leave.  
  
Inuyasha hmphed and turned away, taking in the sight beneath him. The mass thronging by the water looked agitated. Could they... 'Do they know we're here?' "Sesshoumaru, do they know we're here?"  
  
The older demon shrugged. "Probably. It's only a matter of time before they realise it, in any case."  
  
"We can't beat them, can we?"  
  
He shrugged again, slightly surprised at the hesitancy in his younger sibling's voice. "With Testusaiga, yes, we probably could. But you may not want to. You'd hit those strung to the pole." He shrugged again. "But it's your choice."  
  
Inuyasha growled: "You really don't care, do you? Even though Rin is down there..."  
  
There was a very long pause after that, until Sesshoumaru finally said: "If I didn't care I'd have destroyed the entire mass by now. Now I'm going. If you wish to save your ghost friend, you're welcome to come along." His voice was quiet, almost distant and Inuyasha had no doubts that his brother meant every word he said.  
  
For a moment, Inuyasha simply stood in stunned disbelief. The confirmation that his brother did, in fact, care for the young human girl shocked the half-breed to no end. 'So my brother does have a heart...' he mused silently, looking the Lord of the Western Lands over with hooded eyes. 'But he also...that was his lightning that destroyed that clearing we passed. He...he killed them all. Can I really follow him-can I trust him? He thought about it a moment longer, casually looking back over his shoulder at the demons milling at the base of the hill. 'More importantly,' he conceded, turning back to his brother, 'do I have any other choice?'  
  
Taking a deep breath, Inuyasha finally nodded and moved to follow Sesshoumaru. "Fine. But as soon as I get the chance, I'll kill you for taking Kagome away."  
  
"Very well," the older demon agreed. "Hopefully you can find your woman when it's all over. Now come along. They'll be coming any second now."  
  
Inuyasha scowled at the words, but moved to follow his brother, regardless.  
  
Off to the side a ways, Shippou finally crawled to his feet and looked out toward the thundering waterfall at the bottom of the hill. He cried out as his eyes caught sight of the pole, transfixed on the prisoners strapped to it, even as the hoard noticed their presence and began seething toward them. Blood slipped down among the thorns and glass and needles, seeping from the numerous cuts in the three prisoners' bodies that hung helplessly from ropes staked to the spire. Every now and then one would moan, only to be hit with a whip by one of the thousands of monsters milling about. One remained completely silent, staring straight at the three on the hill, her eyes bright with hope.  
  
"Shoukaki..."  
  
A hand on his shoulder shook him and the kit looked up to see Inuyasha staring intently at the hoard fast approaching. "Come on, runt, we have to go. Now." He didn't even look down as he spoke the words. Behind him, Sesshoumaru had already turned to leave.  
  
"We can't!" the kitsune wailed, turning back to catch the eyes of his friend. Shoukaki smiled at him from where she hung, but made no other move than that. Shippou's heart lurched. "What about Shoukaki? We can't just leave her!" He whirled about to face Sesshoumaru, the older demon having stopped to wait for his juniors. "And you! Isn't Rin on that pole, too? How could you be so heartless?"  
  
Sesshoumaru glared at him. "I do not have to answer to you."  
  
"And I don't have to go with you," Shippou countered, ripping his shoulder away from Inuyasha's grip and turning back toward the oncoming mass of demons. "I won't leave her behind. I won't!"  
  
The demons were fast approaching and Inuyasha found he didn't have much of a choice. 'He'll hate me for this when he wakes up. Hell, I hate myself for this. But if it's the only way...' Bringing his arm up, the dog-demon brought his hand down hard on the back of Shippou's head, knocking the kit out. He slumped forward, unconscious; Inuyasha scooped him up and turned to face his brother.   
  
"I'm ready anytime you are."  
  
Sesshoumaru nodded and headed swiftly down the other side of the hill, Inuyasha trailing close behind as the hoard seethed over the crest and onward, following the demons' descent. 


End file.
